Athletics Director announcement
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Dear Furman Community,
I am writing to share that Mike Buddie, Furman’s director of athletics since July 2015, is leaving the university to become the athletics director at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Mike’s last day at Furman will be June 28.
We’ll truly miss Mike and all that he has brought to Furman, but we’re excited for him as he pursues this new opportunity at West Point. We will begin a national search immediately for a new athletics director.
Mike has done a tremendous job during his time at Furman, and our athletics department has flourished under his leadership. In the past four years, the Paladins have won 30 league championships and qualified 17 teams for NCAA Tournament competition.
The program has placed among the top third of the 294 NCAA Division I qualifying schools in Learfield Directors’ Cup competitions during Mike’s tenure, the best performance of any Southern Conference school. Last year’s 73rd place finish was the best in program history.
Furman has also scored well above the national average each year in the Academic Progress Rate, which measures eligibility, graduation and retention and provides a clear picture of the academic performance for each team in every sport.
Mike spearheaded the effort by Furman, Greenville and the Southern Conference to bring the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament regional to Greenville in 2017, with an additional tournament stop scheduled for 2022. He also helped secure several major financial gifts, including a trio of $1 million dollar endowments in support of the football and volleyball programs.
Mike asked me to share this comment on his behalf: “My four years at Furman have been transformational for me, both personally and professionally. The opportunity to work with exceptional people and remarkable student- athletes on a daily basis has been most rewarding. To be a part of President Davis’ leadership team during the launch of The Furman Advantage was a great learning experience and impactful to me on many levels. I will miss the campus and Greenville, but I’m thrilled to be moving on to another incredible institution in West Point.”
We wish Mike well, and thank him for his service to Furman. You can read more about his new position at the U.S. Military Academy here.
Warmly,
Elizabeth Davis
President