On Campus
Paul Dee
Athletic Director
Paul Dee has served as Director of Athletics since 1993 and has announced his intention to retire on June 1, 2008. After 15 years in his position, he will tie for the longest tenure of any UM Athletic Director with Jack Harding, who was the first to hold that position. In his final year, Dee still has many plans to keep the University of Miami athletic department among the finest in intercollegiate sports.
Prior being named Athletic Director, Dee had served the University as its Vice President and General Counsel beginning in 1981.
During his tenure as Director of Athletics, Dee has focused the efforts of the athletic department on four major points of emphasis: 1) the success of its programs; 2) the development of its student-athletes, both athletically and academically; 3) the quality of its staff; and 4) the improvement of facilities. The department has achieved success in each of these areas.
Program Success
During Dee’s tenure as Director of Athletics, the University of Miami has won three team national championships (baseball in 1999 and 2001, football in 2001).
In its first three years in the Atlantic Coast Conference, UM teams won four conference championships in women’s indoor and outdoor track, and the women’s tennis team finished No. 2 in the country in 2006. The football team has been to bowl games all three seasons. The men’s basketball program has played in the postseason twice.
Prior to joining the Atlantic Coast Conference on July 1, 2004, Miami was a dominant program in the Big East Conference, winning 34 league titles between 1993 and 2004. Included in those league championships were eight football titles, eight women’s tennis titles, seven men’s tennis titles, six Big East women’s outdoor track and field championships, two women’s indoor track, and one title in men’s basketball, women’s basketball and men’s swimming and diving.
Under Dee’s supervision, the University of Miami athletic department has added full scholarship programs in women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and women’s rowing.
Student-Athlete Success
University of Miami student-athletes have continued to achieve academically. UM student-athletes have shown consistent improvement in grade-point average and graduation rates over the last decade. In fall semester 2006, UM student-athletes recorded a collective 2.90 grade point average, the best GPA performance for a semester in school history. In 2007, every sports team surpassed the minimum standard needed in the NCAA’s Academic Progress Report. In the three years the APR has been compiled, Miami has never been subject to any penalties for not meeting the NCAA mandated minimum requirements.
Perhaps the most successful scholar-athlete of the last decade at UM was football offensive tackle Joaquin Gonzalez, who earned the 2001 HealthSouth Draddy Award (the “Academic Heisman”), in addition to earning first-team All-America honors on the field in 2000 and 2001.
Quality of Staff
Miami coaches have been widely recognized by their peers as some of the nation’s best. The current UM coaching staff has earned a combined 15 National Coach of the Year honors, including nine by diving coach Randy Ableman, four by baseball coach Jim Morris, and one by women’s golf coach Lela Cannon.
Improvement and Expansion of Facilities
Since 1993, the University of Miami athletic program has seen an almost complete makeover of its athletic facilities. During that period, Dee has overseen the following facility projects:
Construction of the BankUnited Center
The three-year renovation of baseball’s Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field
Construction of a new football fields at Greentree Practice Fields
Construction of Cobb Stadium
Renovation of football locker and equipment rooms
Renovation of the athletic training room
Renovation of athletic department offices
Construction of academic study hall facility
Construction of the weight training facility
Construction of football meeting rooms
Construction of locker rooms for track, soccer and volleyball
Further, in December 2006, the University announced a new fundraising program that will raise money for new athletic department buildings that will include expanded space for academic services, training room and other programs.
Commitment to the Program
Dee believes intensified fundraising efforts and developing stronger interest in women’s sports are vital to ensuring the future success of the Hurricanes’ program.
National Influence
During his 14 years as Director of Athletics, Dee has been active in professional activities. Dee has served on several NCAA committees, including the Committee on Certification and the Management Council. He is currently a member of the Committee on Infractions, and serves as its Vice Chairman.
Before Miami
Before joining the University of Miami, Dee was with the Miami law firm of Mershon, Sawyer, Johnston, Dunwoody & Cole and was a law clerk for Chief U.S. District Judge Charles Fulton in Miami. He received his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Florida in 1970 and his master’s of education and juris doctor degrees with honors from the University of Miami in 1973 and 1977, respectively. Dee has a son, Terrance, who practices law in Miami.
UM Athletic Directors
Jack Harding 1948-1963
Andy Gustafson 1963-1968
Charlie Tate 1968-1971
Ernie McCoy 1971-1973
Pete Elliott 1974-1978
Lou Saban 1978
Dr. Harry Mallios 1979-1983
Sam Jankovich 1983-1991
Paul Dee (interim) 1991
Dave Maggard 1991-1993
Paul Dee 1993-2008
