Doug Knuth is the Special Assistant to the President and Director of Athletics at the University of Nevada, Reno.  Mr. Knuth will provide an update on the athletic programs as we look forward to the upcoming year.
 
 
The 2015-16 season will mark the third year as athletics director at Nevada for Doug Knuth. In two seasons at Nevada, Knuth has overseen significant growth in the department's academic successes, investment in facilities and resources and has balanced the department's budget while producing the school's first conference championship as a member of the Mountain West Conference.

Knuth became Nevada's eighth director of athletics in April of 2013. As special assistant to the president and director of athletics, he brings more than 20 years of professional experience and achievement in athletics administration.

Nevada's student athletes continue to thrive and grow and there's no greater evidence than the results in the classroom. The overall grade-point average for all Wolf Pack student athletes has risen to a 3.121 during the spring semester of 2015. During University Commencement ceremonies in December and May, a total of 99 Wolf Pack student athletes earned undergraduate degrees from Nevada.

With approval from the Nevada System of Higher Education's Board of Regents, Nevada athletics is moving forward on an $11.5 million plan to renovate Mackay Stadium. The renovation broke ground in spring of 2015 with the addition of a new 2,800-square foot restroom facility. The major phase of the project will come in 2016 with the a new stadium club, loge seating and the addition of chairback seating in seven sections to increase the fan gameday experience. The plans also call for new ADA accessible seating areas and the widening of aisles with the installation of handrails to increase safety at the stadium.

The project comes on the heels of new FieldTurf installation at Wolf Pack Parks. Future planned projects include new on-campus tennis courts, basketball practice facilities and an indoor turf practice facility.

Knuth's first coaching hire came in the summer of 2013 when he tabbed Jay Johnson to take over the Wolf Pack baseball program. In 2015 and just his second year, Johnson delivered the Mountain West Championship to Reno.

University President Marc Johnson recommended Knuth to the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents and the regents approved his recommendation on March 14, 2013. Knuth was selected following a national search that featured a pool of talented, diverse candidates.

"Doug has tremendous experience and enthusiasm for college athletics and he has a great understanding of the role of education and athletics in the lives of our student-athletes," Johnson said at the time. "He is a proven fundraiser who has had success in generating both traditional and entrepreneurial revenue streams. He is also very familiar with the Mountain West Conference and the challenges of conference realignment, and I am confident that Doug is the right person to continue the successes and tradition of Wolf Pack Athletics."

Prior to Nevada, Knuth spent the previous eight years at the University of Utah as the Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Relations. He led Utah to record fundraising in each of the last seven years. He led the Utes' fundraising, marketing and ticketing efforts and oversaw the corporate partner program and athletics licensing/merchandising. He was also the primary liaison to University Development and Advancement. Knuth served as a member of Utah's senior staff, participating in strategic planning, objectives and goals and policies and procedures in addition to administrative oversight over the sports of women's basketball and men's and women's tennis.

He successfully launched a $150 million comprehensive athletics campaign and doubled the Utes' annual fund in five years. Knuth also took a leadership role in the strategic planning process of Utah's $1.2 billion university capital campaign. He is a member of the prestigious I-A Athletic Director's Association Fellows Program, served on the NCAA Tennis Committee from 2007-10 and has held leadership roles in the National Association of Athletic Development Directors since 2010.

Prior to Utah, Knuth served as the assistant athletics director for development at Michigan State for five years and was responsible for the annual giving program. He also managed major gifts associated with the expansion of Spartan Stadium through suite and club seats sales.

He started his career in athletics administration and fundraising at the University of Connecticut and also spent time at the University of Massachusetts and Ohio University.

Knuth earned his bachelor's degree in business administration at the University of Connecticut in 1994 where he was also a four-year letter winner and captain on the men's tennis team. He holds master's degrees in sports administration and facility management from Ohio University (1998) and business administration from Northwood University (2002).

A native of Fairfield, Conn., Knuth and his wife, Marilyn, have a daughter, Gabby (7), and a son, Lance (5).