BUbearinARK said:

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WACO, Texas (June 23, 2021) Baylor University Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack B. Rhoades, IV, has been selected as Sports Business Journal's 2021 Athletics Director of the Year, announced tonight during the 2021 SBJ Sports Business Awards.

"Mack is most-deserving of this national recognition as Baylor Athletics experienced many successes both inside and outside the classroom during an unprecedented year with COVID-19," said Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D. "While we certainly celebrate the wins and championships, Mack and his team have truly embraced Baylor's unique role in intercollegiate athletics as a Christian research university and our emphasis on intentionally preparing our student-athletes in all aspects of their lives. His dedication and focus will have a lasting impact on generations of Baylor Bears."

This marks the second Athletics Director of the Year honor earned by Rhoades in as many years. He was chosen as a 2019-20 NACDA Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year in March 2020. Rhoades was also one of five finalists for the 2020 SBJ Athletics Director of the Year.

The SBJ Athletics Director of the Year award is given annually to a college or university athletics director who demonstrates excellence on and off the field, innovation, leadership locally and nationally, and vision. Rhoades was selected from a field of five finalists, including Alabama's Greg Byrne, Pitt's Heather Lyke, Notre Dame's Jack Swarbrick and Virginia's Carla Williams.

Rhoades completed his fifth year leading Baylor's department of intercollegiate athletics in 2020-21, culminating in two national championships and six Big 12 Conference titles. The Bears have won six national championships across three sports and 21 Big 12 championships across nine sports during his tenure. Eight of Baylor's 19 sport programs have earned No. 1 national rankings under Rhoades' leadership.

Baylor Athletics' success is guided by Rhoades' vision of "Preparing Champions for Life," which is built on four pillars of academic achievement, athletic success, character formation and spiritual growth. Below are 2020-21 highlights for each of the four pillars:

Academic Achievement

• 94% Graduation Success Rate highest in Baylor history
• 3.35 All Athletics Cumulative GPA highest on record
• 49% of Student-Athletes achieved Personal Best GPAs
• 14 Teams Achieved All-Time High GPAs
• 316 Dean's List honors earned by Student-Athletes
• 117 Student-Athletes Graduated

Character Formation

• 104 Student-Athletes participated in Leadership Retreat, Leadership Institute & Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) with all sports represented.
• 1,174 Community Engagement hours
• 120 Character Formation programs
• 36 Career Development workshops & events
• 24 Student-Athletes completed internships and job shadows.

Spiritual Growth

• 30 Student-Athletes participated in iDisciple Program a peer-to-peer spiritual leadership bootcamp.
• 19 Student-Athletes served on mission trip in Guatemala.
• Average of 47 Student-Athlete attendance at BUnfiltered Events a monthly gathering to build community.

Athletics Success

• Conference Titles
  
  • Six Big 12 Championships match the most since 2015 and tied the third-most in school history.
  • Men's Basketball won the Big 12 title for the first time and claimed Baylor's first men's basketball conference championship in 71 years.
  • Women's Basketball swept Big 12 regular season and tournament championships, extending the streak to seven consecutive and 20 of 21 Big 12 trophies won by Baylor since 2011.
  • Men's and Women's Basketball won outright Big 12 Conference titles, becoming the first school to do so since the Big 12's inaugural season in 1997.
  • Men's Tennis won Big 12 regular season and tournament championships for first time since 2014.
  • Men's Golf won Big 12 Match Play Championship for second time in event's three-year history.

• National Titles
  
  • Men's Basketball won the National Championship for the first time in school history.
  • Baylor became the second team from Texas to win a men's basketball national title, following the 1966 Glory Road Texas Western team.
  • Acrobatics & Tumbling won its sixth-consecutive NCATA National Championship.
  • Three Track & Field Individual National Champions Aaliyah Miller (800m), Ackera Nugent (60mh) and KC Lightfoot (Pole Vault).

• Four No. 1-Ranked Teams
  
  • Men's Basketball was ranked No. 1 for the third time in the last five seasons, joining Duke, Gonzaga and Kansas as the only schools to accomplish the feat.
  • Men's Tennis reached No. 1 for the first time since 2005 after winning the Big 12 regular season and tournament championships.
  • Women's Golf reached No. 1 for the first time in program history after winning its first five tournaments of the season.
  • Acrobatics & Tumbling finished No. 1 for the sixth-consecutive season.
  • Eight Baylor teams have earned No. 1 national rankings since 2017 Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Volleyball, Men's Golf, Women's Golf, Men's Tennis, Equestrian and Acrobatics & Tumbling.

A school-record 10 programs earned top-10 national rankings.

• Men's Basketball - 1
• Women's Golf - 1
• Men's Tennis - 1
• Acrobatics & Tumbling - 1
• Volleyball - 2
• Women's Basketball - 4
• Men's Golf - 6
• Equestrian - 7
• Women's Tennis - 8
• Women's Track & Field - 9

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Conferences-Events/2021/SBA/SBA-Recipients.aspx

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Looking at the entire picture, how can anyone say that's not impressive? Yes, the football and baseball seasons were entirely disappointing and losing KM was obviously a big time blow, but still - a lot of championships and successes overall on that list.

Herb1986 said:

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Tell me how he earned it.

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Hes ridden us of the albatross, thats how he earned it.

If you are referring to the coach who won over 20 Big 12 Championships and 3 National Championships then you guys are not very smart. I hope and will support the new coach can come close to the last 20 years of success.

Herb1986 said:

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If you are referring to the coach who won over 20 Big 12 Championships and 3 National Championships then you guys are not very smart. I hope and will support the new coach can come close to the last 20 years of success.

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Exactly. First of all, it is not an AP or Coaches Poll type consensus that Mack is the top AD. SBJ is an online mag throwing in its 2 cents. There are hundreds of those. Not a big deal. I would give a lot more credibility to a guy like former CBS guru Brett McMurphy and the like. Speaking of which, Brett is now at Stadium Network...which is also a sports website. Brett and his cohort Jeff Goodman have Mack ranked at 13th as of last July. Now I am sure Mack has elevated himself in some minds due to a coach he did not even hire winning a NC in basketball. But Mack also lost what is arguably one of the greatest HC's in women's basketball history. And all that said, there is no way in Hades with where Baylor football was in 20-21 that Mack is the top AD in the country, certainly by most knowledgeable standards. But hey...it will likely get Mack some padding for his $2 million salary, make a few fans of Baylor's mediocrity feel better...and that's good for Mack.

Caddywampus said:

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Herb1986 said:

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If you are referring to the coach who won over 20 Big 12 Championships and 3 National Championships then you guys are not very smart. I hope and will support the new coach can come close to the last 20 years of success.

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Exactly. First of all, it is not an AP or Coaches Poll type consensus that Mack is the top AD. SBJ is an online mag throwing in its 2 cents. There are hundreds of those. Not a big deal. I would give a lot more credibility to a guy like former CBS guru Brett McMurphy and the like. Speaking of which, Brett is now at Stadium Network...which is also a sports website. Brett and his cohort Jeff Goodman have Mack ranked at 13th as of last July. Now I am sure Mack has elevated himself in some minds due to a coach he did not even hire winning a NC in basketball. But Mack also lost what is arguably one of the greatest HC's in women's basketball history. And all that said, there is no way in Hades with where Baylor football was in 20-21 that Mack is the top AD in the country, certainly by most knowledgeable standards. But hey...it will likely get Mack some padding for his $2 million salary, make a few fans of Baylor's mediocrity feel better...and that's good for Mack.

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show me where on this bear that Mack hurt you

I have been to a bunch of Lady Bear games and they have a lot more than 80. I am not sure why you have to slam the sport and all it's supporters just because someone makes you madoh wait that's right your GoldMind . Never mind

GoldMind said:

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Herb1986 said:

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If you are referring to the coach who won over 20 Big 12 Championships and 3 National Championships then you guys are not very smart. I hope and will support the new coach can come close to the last 20 years of success.

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I'm gladder than hell he freed up cap space.

Now we can put it into sports that actually make Baylor money, you know the ones that have more than 80 fans in the seats.

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Attendance was never a problem with BU WBB. Many years it outdrew MBB and tripled or even quadrupled Men's Baseball.

No WBB coach should have been getting paid what she was making. Mack was immeasurably wise to let that go.

Attendance or otherwise.

GoldMind said:

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No WBB coach should have been getting paid what she was making. Mack was immeasurably wise to let that go.

Attendance or otherwise.

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You get paid what the market will allow. It was so funny hearing all the so called experts saying she would never get no where near what she was making at BU. All those fools were absolutely wrong as usual.

Caddywampus said:

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Herb1986 said:

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If you are referring to the coach who won over 20 Big 12 Championships and 3 National Championships then you guys are not very smart. I hope and will support the new coach can come close to the last 20 years of success.

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Exactly. First of all, it is not an AP or Coaches Poll type consensus that Mack is the top AD. SBJ is an online mag throwing in its 2 cents. There are hundreds of those. Not a big deal. I would give a lot more credibility to a guy like former CBS guru Brett McMurphy and the like. Speaking of which, Brett is now at Stadium Network...which is also a sports website. Brett and his cohort Jeff Goodman have Mack ranked at 13th as of last July. Now I am sure Mack has elevated himself in some minds due to a coach he did not even hire winning a NC in basketball. But Mack also lost what is arguably one of the greatest HC's in women's basketball history. And all that said, there is no way in Hades with where Baylor football was in 20-21 that Mack is the top AD in the country, certainly by most knowledgeable standards. But hey...it will likely get Mack some padding for his $2 million salary, make a few fans of Baylor's mediocrity feel better...and that's good for Mack.

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I love it when tuff-folk talk in absolutes. Baylor sports performed extremely well across the board this year. A transitional year in a pandemic on a late hire fb coach didn't go well, true (but have you been following the recruiting this year ?!?!). Maybe equestian was down a little. But look at the entirety. Really amazing.

Was Coach Mulkey the greatest coach we've had in the modern era? I say yes. Maybe Drew has caught up or is close. But no matter who the coach is, if they make demands that can't be met for what's best for the university's future and they walk away, that's not 'losing a coach' that's calculating what's best for the longevity of the organization. And clearly it wasn't about the money, right? And then he pivots and hires a wnba coach in this one sport.

And 'elevated himself in some minds' is just a silly statement. That men's natty was an amazing feat in everyone's eyes. Except for those still lamemting the walking away of the former wbb coach, it seems.

Who would you rather be the AD?

GoldMind said:

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No WBB coach should have been getting paid what she was making. Mack was immeasurably wise to let that go.

Attendance or otherwise.

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Gee, which misogynistic rock did you crawl out from under?

BUbearinARK said:

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Caddywampus said:

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Herb1986 said:

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If you are referring to the coach who won over 20 Big 12 Championships and 3 National Championships then you guys are not very smart. I hope and will support the new coach can come close to the last 20 years of success.

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Exactly. First of all, it is not an AP or Coaches Poll type consensus that Mack is the top AD. SBJ is an online mag throwing in its 2 cents. There are hundreds of those. Not a big deal. I would give a lot more credibility to a guy like former CBS guru Brett McMurphy and the like. Speaking of which, Brett is now at Stadium Network...which is also a sports website. Brett and his cohort Jeff Goodman have Mack ranked at 13th as of last July. Now I am sure Mack has elevated himself in some minds due to a coach he did not even hire winning a NC in basketball. But Mack also lost what is arguably one of the greatest HC's in women's basketball history. And all that said, there is no way in Hades with where Baylor football was in 20-21 that Mack is the top AD in the country, certainly by most knowledgeable standards. But hey...it will likely get Mack some padding for his $2 million salary, make a few fans of Baylor's mediocrity feel better...and that's good for Mack.

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I love it when tuff-folk talk in absolutes. Baylor sports performed extremely well across the board this year. A transitional year in a pandemic on a late hire fb coach didn't go well, true (but have you been following the recruiting this year ?!?!). Maybe equestian was down a little. But look at the entirety. Really amazing.

Was Coach Mulkey the greatest coach we've had in the modern era? I say yes. Maybe Drew has caught up or is close. But no matter who the coach is, if they make demands that can't be met for what's best for the university's future and they walk away, that's not 'losing a coach' that's calculating what's best for the longevity of the organization. And clearly it wasn't about the money, right? And then he pivots and hires a wnba coach in this one sport.

And 'elevated himself in some minds' is just a silly statement. That men's natty was an amazing feat in everyone's eyes. Except for those still lamemting the walking away of the former wbb coach, it seems.

Who would you rather be the AD?

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Hero worship we all do it to some degree, you worship cats I can respect that...what causes us to worship someone? past success or future hoped performance? Kim has earned some hero worship as has Drew...CAB earned a lot as well which explained why it was and has been so hard to move on....AD's are hard to worship and not sure why anyone latches onto them so hard? I always have to figure it is to gain access of some kind or free tickets...? I don't know....Ian over saw a time in athletics that was pretty much unbelievable. Yet to hear some he was terrible...I am not sure what Mack can be fairly be credited for...I do think he had a tough assignment after what went on with the whole Football program and I think he has certainly stabilized and maintained while CMR was a good hire it was only good because everyone new it was short term. We now have for whatever reason a HOF coach walk away...you can't really spin that as a good thing to happen under an AD's watch yet that is what the Mack hero worshippers do to the expense of not only Kim and her achievements but also the entire WBB program in some instances....yes it is a business but college sports is more than that...when is the last time you went and saw some D-3's compete in anything? I don't hate Mack but I don't worship him either and don't think he is the greatest thing since sliced bread...I want him to be more in the background while the sports themselves and the athletes take center stage.... Be mad at Kim for walking away but quit with the whole it was for the best and Mack is all knowing and wise to have done this....Our WBB suffered a hit...does not mean we can't recover and does not mean that CNC is not a homerun hire but losing a HOF coach like Kim who had such a following among many BU fans was and is a hit....give it some time but quit trying to convince us that Kim had to go and Mack was somehow working a plan....lets just move on and support BU in general and everyone who is affiliated with it....

baylor1984 said:

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GoldMind said:

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No WBB coach should have been getting paid what she was making. Mack was immeasurably wise to let that go.

Attendance or otherwise.

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You get paid what the market will allow. It was so funny hearing all the so called experts saying she would never get no where near what she was making at BU. All those fools were absolutely wrong as usual.

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And only time will tell if LSU joins that group of fools for paying what they did. The picture of her with the new grandbaby on another thread indicates as loud as day to me where her priorities lie at this point.