THE HUSKY EXPERIENCE WASHINGTONWASHINGTON HUSKIES HUSKIES 2006-07 2006-07 WOMEN'S WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BASKETBALL MEDIA MEDIA GUIDE GUIDE THE HUSKY EXPERIENCE President Mark Emmert Mark Emmert became the 30th president of the At UConn, Emmert played a critical role University of Washington on June 14, 2004. in implementing the university’s strategic plan, GENERAL INFO. Emmert, 53, had been chancellor of Louisiana which included enhancing the institution’s State University since April 1999. Before that, academic standing, increasing endowment he served five years as chancellor and provost support and strengthening education. at the University of Connecticut. Before assuming the chancellorship at Emmert holds doctoral and master’s degrees UConn, Emmert served as provost and vice in public administration from the Maxwell president for academic affairs at Montana OUTLOOK School of Syracuse University, and a bachelor’s State University. He also held faculty and degree in political science from the University of administrative positions at the University of Washington. He is a native of Fife. Colorado. At LSU, Emmert developed the National Emmert has been an American Council Flagship Agenda: 2003-2010, which aims to on Education Fellow and a J.W. Fulbright PLAYERS increase the University’s research and scholarly Administrative Fellow. He also participated productivity while enhancing the quality and in a J.W. Fulbright Administrative Seminar in competitiveness of undergraduate and graduate the former East Germany in 1994. students. The strategy was designed to place LSU He is married to DeLaine S. Emmert. They among the finest public universities in the United have two children, Jennifer and Steve. States, and to support the state of Louisiana’s COACHES economic development. Athletics Director Todd Turner 2005-06 REVIEW William “Todd” Turner was named director of that includes raised initial and continuing academic intercollegiate athletics at the University of Washington eligibility requirements. That group developed an 148 on June 19, 2004. The 55-year-old Turner is the 15th ambitious proposal to penalize schools based on poor athletic director in Washington’s history. academic performance. A veteran of 29 years as a college athletics An accomplished fundraiser, at Vanderbilt Turner administrator, Washington is the fourth university was responsible for the most ambitious facilities where Turner has served as athletics director. He enhancement in the program’s history. Under his joined the Husky staff after directing Vanderbilt’s direction, nearly every one of the Commodore athletic PAC-10 athletics program for the previous seven years. His programs upgraded their practice facilities and the position was dissolved in September of 2003 when the baseball, soccer, track and field and lacrosse teams athletics department was restructured and placed under moved into new competition sites. the direction of the newly-created Office of Student Turner has been involved in a number of NCAA, Athletics, Recreation and Wellness. conference and community efforts. He currently is Turner previously held the position of athletic Chair of the Pac-10’s Men’s Basketball Scheduling director at North Carolina State University and the Committee and also serves on the Conference’s University of Connecticut. He also worked in athletic Legislative, Long Range Planning, Revenue Sharing and OPPONENTS administration at the University of Virginia. Bowl Committees. He is on the executive committee fundraising efforts helped the Huskies surpass the As the athletics director at Washington, Turner and a past president (1996-97) of the Division I-A ADs $1 million mark in annual giving for the first time in oversees one of the nation’s most successful programs. Association and formerly served as Chair of the NCAA 1990. It includes 23 sport programs with a $50.5 million Division I Men’s Golf Committee. Turner served a three- During his 11 years at Virginia, Turner worked as annual budget. Approximately 650 student-athletes year term on the Southeastern Conference’s Executive an associate athletic director for Dick Schultz, who compete for Washington’s athletics teams, while the Committee. He was once on the board of directors for went on to be the executive director of the NCAA and HISTORY department includes a staff of 195. In the most recent the College Football Association. executive director of the U.S. Olympic Committee, and NCAA graduation report, Washington student-athletes Turner assisted several Nashville area causes. He was hired at Virginia by Gene Corrigan, who became graduated at 84 percent, above the national average was a member of the Nashville Sports Council executive the commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference for Division I institutions and slightly ahead of the committee, and a board member of the YMCA of Middle and was the president of the NCAA. At Virginia he graduation rate for all UW students. Tennessee and Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. worked as the associate director of athletics, director Turner has a reputation for being highly respected During his years at N.C. State (1990-1996), the of sports promotions, sports information director and by his peers, and a leading advocate in the movement football team went to five bowls, women’s basketball athletic ticket manager. to bring academic reform to NCAA member institutions. made the Sweet 16 and the men’s soccer team played in A 1976 graduate of the Ohio University Sports After leaving Vanderbilt he continued to serve the Administration program, Turner received a Bachelor POSTSEASON the Final Four. Eleven Wolfpack teams won ACC titles. NCAA as chair of the NCAA Management Council’s He implemented a $45 million fundraising project, of Arts degree in religion from the University of North Working Group on Incentives and Disincentives tied the Wolfpack PRIDE Campaign, to upgrade athletic Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1973. He earned the Ohio to academic performance. facilities that had become outdated. He was involved University Graduate School’s Distinguished Alumni In 2004, his efforts on academic reform were felt in the planning and fundraising efforts for Raleigh’s Award in 1993. when the NCAA implemented changes in academic Entertainment and Sports Complex (RBC Center) that Turner, a native of Raleigh, N.C., is married to requirements and eligibility restrictions aimed at is now the home for Wolfpack men’s basketball. the former Sara Newbold, also of Raleigh. They have improving graduation rates among student-athletes. While at Connecticut (1987-1990), he supervised four children: Kate, Allison, Molly, and Drew. EXPERIENCE Last spring, The Incentives/Disincentives Working construction of the Gampel Pavilion, an on-campus Group completed work on an academic reform proposal home for Husky men’s and women’s basketball. His WASHINGTON HUSKIES 2006-07 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL MEDIA GUIDE THE HUSKY EXPERIENCE Key Athletic Administrators GENERAL INFO. Jeff Compher Marie Tuite Executive Associate Senior Associate Athletic Director Athletic Director Jeff Compher enters his third year as Wash- Marie Tuite enters her 13th year as Senior OUTLOOK ington’s Executive Associate Athletic Director. Associate Athletic Director for Sports Programs in Compher serves as the general manager for the 2006-07. She is also Washington’s Senior Woman Husky athletic department, coordinating the daily Administrator. During her first 12 years at Wash- administrative operations of the department with ington, the Huskies have enjoyed a tremendous special emphasis on the football, men’s basketball, amount of success. baseball and men’s and women’s crew programs, as Since her arrival at Washington, the Huskies PLAYERS well as the administrative operations that support have steadily improved in postseason appearances. those teams. In 1994-95, 15 of Washington’s teams were repre- Compher also helps to develop long-range and annual operating plans, and sented in postseason competition. That number rose to 17 in 1995-96. In 1996-97 chairs the senior management team, overseeing the daily operation of all senior all 23 programs qualified or sent representatives to postseason play. managers. In 2000, five Husky teams earned Pac-10 Championships. In 2004-05 the Huskies “Jeff will be instrumental in working with the staff to set short- and long-term hosted the NCAA Women’s Basketball First and Second Rounds, and saw five UW COACHES goals, establish priorities and implement the administrative processes we need to coaches win Pac-10 coach of the year honors, and two Husky individuals win NCAA succeed,” said University of Washington Director of Athletics Todd Turner upon titles. Compher’s hiring in July 2004. “He is a dynamic and creative leader and brings a Tuite oversees 18 of Washington’s athletic programs, and directly supervises high level of energy and enthusiasm to the job.” Karen Baebler, Assistant Athletic Director for Sport Operations. Turner knows Compher well, having hired him as a member of his senior Tuite, a native of Livonia, Mich., joined the Husky staff after serving as the administrative staffs at both North Carolina State and Vanderbilt. Assistant Director of Championships for the National Collegiate Athletic Associa- 2005-06 REVIEW Prior to coming to Washington, Compher spent the previous four years as tion. She was a liaison for the NCAA’s sports committees in the administration and director of athletics at Western Carolina University. There, Compher supervised conduct of various championships. Her duties included