Julie Cromer
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Athletic director |
| Team | Ohio Bobcats |
| Conference | Mid-American Conference |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 2019–present | Ohio Bobcats |
Julie Cromer is the athletic director at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio and served as a co-chair of the NCAA Division I Transformation Committee.[1] She is the first female athletic director for the Ohio Bobcats.
Early years
[edit]Julie Cromer grew up in Southern Missouri.[2] She received her Bachelor's degree from Missouri State University in 1993. She earned a Master's degree in Policy Analysis from the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University in 2010.[3]
Career
[edit]She began her career in athletics working for the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. She later served as Assistant Athletic Director at Wright State University. She left Wright State to begin a ten-year duration at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) where she served as Director of Academic and Membership Affairs. She then served as Executive Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) at Indiana University Bloomington for four years and the Senior Deputy Athletics Director at the University of Arkansas for six years.[3] As interim Athletic Director at Arkansas after Jeff Long was fired, she fired football coach Bret Bielema.[4]
Ohio
[edit]On August 31, 2019, she was hired by Ohio University to become the schools Athletic Director following Jim Schaus who left to become the Commissioner of the Southern Conference.[5][6] During her first year, the Ohio Football Team won the Idaho Potato Bowl.[7] The following year the Ohio Men's Basketball Team won the 2020 MAC men's basketball tournament[8] and upset Atlantic Coast Conference (AAC) regular season champion Virginia Cavaliers in the first round of the NCAA tournament.[9] This was the school's first tournament win since a sweet sixteen appearance in 2012.[10]
On July 14, Cromer promoted long time offensive coordinator Tim Albin to head football coach at Ohio following the unexpected retirement of Solich prior to the 2021 season.[11] After struggling to a 3–9 record in 2021, Albin led the Bobcats to a 7–1 mark in the MAC in 2022 as Ohio won the MAC East for the first time since 2016.[12] They lost to Toledo in the MAC Championship Game.[13][14] Ohio defeated Wyoming in the Arizona Bowl[15][16] The Bobcat's football team had their 2nd straight 10 win season in 2023.[17] Ohio played Georgia Southern in the Myrtle Beach Bowl where they scored 41 points with the aid of five forced turnovers by the defense to cruise to a 41–21 victory.[18][19][20]
In 2024 the football team had a third straight nine win season.[21] At 7–1 in MAC play they qualified to play Miami in the MAC Championship game[22] Ohio defeated Miami in the MAC Championship game to give the Bobcats their first conference championship since 1968.[23]
On August 15, 2023 she was named NCAA Division I FBS Nike Executive of the Year.[24] On March 20, 2024, she was named NACDA Athletics Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.[25]
References
[edit]- ^ "NCAA sets stage for transformation". Arkansas Online. November 9, 2021.
- ^ "Julie Cromer named Director of Athletics for Ohio University". The Pike County News Watchman. August 15, 2019.
- ^ a b "Julie Cromer Peoples". Arkansas Razorbacks. May 10, 2015.
- ^ Scarborough, Alex (24 November 2017). "Bret Bielema fired as Arkansas' head coach after loss to Mizzou". ESPN.
- ^ "Julie Cromer - Director of Athletics - Staff Directory". Ohio University.
- ^ Burton, Rick (November 10, 2021). "Transformers? NCAA's Optimus Committee Is Hardly Prime".
- ^ "Ohio beats Nevada 30-21 in Famous Idaho Potato Bowl". ESPN.[dead link]
- ^ "Ohio Bobcats down Buffalo to win MAC Tournament, earn NCAA Tournament bid". Cincinnati Enquirer.
- ^ "Ohio vs. Virginia - Game Recap - March 20, 2021 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
- ^ "Ohio Men's Basketball: Bobcats Win First MAC Tournament Championship Since 2012". WOUB. 14 March 2021.
- ^ Jack Gleckler (July 14, 2021), "Football: Frank Solich announces his retirement after 16 seasons with Ohio", The Post Athens, retrieved July 16, 2021
- ^ Gregorski, Keith (November 22, 2022). "2022 MAC Football Week 13 Game Recap: Ohio Bobcats 38, Bowling Green Falcons 14". Hustlebelt.com. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ Conn, Adam (November 23, 2022). "Bobcats clinch MAC East title with backup QB". NBC4i.com. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ "Toledo 17, Ohio 7". ESPN. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ "University of Wyoming and Ohio University to square off in the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl". KOLD. December 4, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ "Ohio 30, Wyoming 27". ESPN. December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
- ^ "Ohio seeking 2nd straight 10-win season when it faces Georgia Southern in Myrtle Beach Bowl". apnews.com. AP. December 3, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
- ^ DiTullio, Joe (December 3, 2023). "Georgia Southern, Ohio to meet in Myrtle Beach Bowl". wmbfnews.com. WMBF. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
- ^ DiLullo, Mike (December 3, 2023). "Georgia Southern football will play Ohio in Myrtle Beach Bowl". sports.yahoo.com. Savannah Morning News. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
- ^ Gorbett, Bobby (December 18, 2023). "Myrtle Beach Bowl: Ohio prevails 41-21 to secure back-to-back 10 win seasons". thepostathens.com. Ohio University Post. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
- ^ Beach, Ashley (November 29, 2024). "Ohio Football Remains Undefeated at Home, Punches Ticket To MAC Championship". Ohiobobcats.com. Ohio Athletics. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
- ^ Barral, Kevin (November 29, 2024). "MAC Football Championship Set Between Miami RedHawks and Ohio Bobcats". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
- ^ "Ohio Wins First MAC Football Championship Game". Mid-American Conference. December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
- ^ "OU's Julie Cromer named FBS Nike Executive of the Year". Highland County Press. August 15, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
- ^ "Cromer named NACDA Athletics Director of the Year". Highland County Press. March 21, 2024. Retrieved March 24, 2024.