Ron Guenther
Encyclopedia
Ron Guenther is the former Director of Athletics
for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
. He is best known for the hiring of Fighting Illini
athletics coaches, the development of the men's tennis
team into a national power (including an NCAA title in 2003), and the development of many athletics facilities. He retired on July 1, 2011.
in physical education
in 1967 and an M.S. in administration in 1968. Guenther also played football at Illinois, lettering in 1965 and 1966 as an offensive lineman as well as being named second-team All-Big Ten and the team MVP in 1966. While at Illinois, Guenther was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.
University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman was quoted in July, 2006 as saying: "If he's not the best AD in the country, I want to know who is." and "He does a wonderful job of bringing in great coaches and building a team that understands what athletics is and needs to be about."
, calling an Illini player an "idiot".
Guenther has also been widely criticized by Illinois fans for the poor performance of the Illinois football team during his tenure.
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
. He is best known for the hiring of Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini
The Fighting Illini are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports....
athletics coaches, the development of the men's tennis
Illinois Fighting Illini men's tennis
The Illinois Fighting Illini men's tennis team is a NCAA Division I college tennis team competing in the Big Ten Conference. The team plays its home matches at the in Champaign, Illinois.-History:...
team into a national power (including an NCAA title in 2003), and the development of many athletics facilities. He retired on July 1, 2011.
Background
Guenther is a graduate of the University of Illinois, having earned a Bachelor of ScienceBachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
in 1967 and an M.S. in administration in 1968. Guenther also played football at Illinois, lettering in 1965 and 1966 as an offensive lineman as well as being named second-team All-Big Ten and the team MVP in 1966. While at Illinois, Guenther was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.
University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman was quoted in July, 2006 as saying: "If he's not the best AD in the country, I want to know who is." and "He does a wonderful job of bringing in great coaches and building a team that understands what athletics is and needs to be about."
Football
- Ron TurnerRon Turner (football coach)Ron Turner is an American football coach. He is currently the quarterbacks coach for the Indianapolis Colts. He was previously the head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini football team from 1997 to 2004...
, 1997–2004 - Ron ZookRon ZookRon Zook is a former American football coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at the University of Florida from 2002 to 2004 and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2005 to 2011. Zook is a native of Ohio and an alumnus of Miami University, where he...
, 2005–2011
Men's basketball
- Lon KrugerLon KrugerLon Kruger is an American college and professional basketball coach who is currently the men's basketball head coach of the University of Oklahoma. Kruger played college basketball for Kansas State University...
, 1996–2000 - Bill SelfBill SelfBill Self is an American college men's basketball coach at the University of Kansas, where he led the Jayhawks to the 2008 NCAA national championship....
, 2000–2003 - Bruce WeberBruce Weber (coach)Bruce Brett Weber is an American college basketball coach. Weber is the head coach of the University of Illinois men's basketball team...
, 2004–current
Facility Construction
- Atkins Tennis Center
- Reconstruction of Memorial StadiumMemorial Stadium (Champaign)thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...
. - Pending decision to renovate Assembly HallAssembly Hall (Champaign)Assembly Hall is a large dome-shaped indoor arena, located in Champaign, Illinois, and is part of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign....
or build a new basketball arena, expected in early 2009.
Criticism
Mr. Guenther came under fire for an outburst during the 2007 NCAA TournamentNCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
, calling an Illini player an "idiot".
Guenther has also been widely criticized by Illinois fans for the poor performance of the Illinois football team during his tenure.