Damon Evans

Former Athletic Director, University of Georgia

UGA letterwinner and double degree holder Damon Evans was selected as Director of Athletics in December 2003, and assumed the duties officially on July1, 2004. At the time he was just 34 years of age, and one of theyoungest athletic directors in the country. However, he had alreadyestablished himself as an up and coming athletic administrator. Evansreceived several honors including the Street and Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal “40 Under 40 Award” for 2004 and 2005, the UGA TerryCollege of Business Award as the “Outstanding Young Alumnus”, andSports Illustrated’s “101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports”.

Evans oversaw a nationally recognized program with 21 intercollegiatesports teams involving more than 500 student-athletes, a $74 millionbudget and a 250 person staff. He is a member of several SoutheasternConference and NCAA Committees, and is involved in volunteer andcommunity service roles across the state of Georgia.

In hisfirst year at the helm, Georgia captured three national championshipsand finished seventh nationally in the NACDA Directors’ Cup for2004-05. Additionally, UGA enjoyed the best year of fundraising inschool history with over $32 million raised for both operating budgetand endowment.

Success continued at UGA in 2005-06 as onenational championship and a record seven conference titles were won byBulldog teams. Georgia was also recognized as the “most profitableintercollegiate athletics program in the country.”

DuringDamon’s third year as Director of Athletics, 2006-07, GeorgiaGymnastics won its third straight National Championship and eighthoverall and Men’s Tennis capped an undefeated season by winning theNational Championship on campus at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.Additionally, Georgia claimed SEC titles in Men’s and Women’s Tennis,and Women’s Golf. Other highlights included UGA student-athletesearning the highest combined departmental GPA ever recorded andreaching and surpassing the Association’s goal of $60 million as partof the University-wide “Archway to Excellence Capital Campaign” byraising over $10 million for a grand total of $63 million for the“Investing in Champions” initiative.

Evans was born in Nebraska,but spent much of his youth in Gainesville, Georgia where he graduatedfrom Gainesville High School after a stellar career both athleticallyand academically. During his football career at Georgia (1988-92),Evans earned a starting assignment four consecutive seasons, played inthree bowl games (‘89 Peach, ‘91 Independence, and ‘92 Citrus) and wasa member of the ’91 and ’92 teams that won nine and ten games,respectively. He earned two degrees from the University of Georgia,receiving a bachelor’s degree in finance in 1992 and a master’s ofeducation in sports management in 1994.

Evans joined the staffat the University of Missouri, serving as Director of Compliance andOperations (1994-95). After holding the positions as a Director andAssistant Commissioner for Eligibility and Compliance Services at theSoutheastern Conference (1995-98), he returned to his alma mater. Before his appointment as UGA Director of Athletics, Damon held titlesof Associate and Senior Associate A.D. for Internal Affairs. Currentlyhe is Vice-Chair of the NCAA Division I Management Council (the highestgovernance committee attainable by an athletic administrator) and hasbeen appointed to the NCAA Division I Oversight and Monitoring Group.He is married to the former Kerri Budd of Atlanta and they have twochildren, Cameron and Kennedy.