KSU Introduces New Athletic Director

After a nationwide search, formally introduced Vaughn Williams as its new athletic director in a meet and greet Tuesday.

Williams has served as the University of Connecticut's Associate Athletic Director for the past six and a half years and has 17 years of experience in NCAA Division I administration.

Williams will leave UConn, whose men's basketball team recently sealed its third NCAA championship, and join Kennesaw State in early May.

“I am very honored and excited to become part of the Kennesaw State University family,” Williams said. “Owl Athletics has made incredible progress as it has transitioned from Division II to the Division I level. I look forward to continuing and growing our presence regionally and nationally at the Division I level."

As Associate Athletic Director at UConn, Williams has managed a total of $53 million in capital projects and has directed the operation of 11 campus athletic facilities.

He joins KSU's athletic department as the university launches an initiative to .

“It was just a couple of years ago, in 2009, that Kennesaw State’s athletics program made the successful transition to NCAA Division I competition," said KSU President Daniel Papp.  “We are now ensuring that we will have state-of-the-art facilities and the essential resources to allow us to compete in the top tier of collegiate athletics.

“We are also embarking on a multi-million dollar fundraising initiative that will be critical to making football part of the KSU athletics program, and the person who will lead these important athletic initiatives is Kennesaw State’s new athletic director, Vaughn Williams.”

The national search for an athletic director began after David Waples stepped down last August. Thomas Keene, chair of the KSU Athletics Board, led a 12-member committee to narrow down candidates for the position.

“We were looking for an outstanding individual, one who knew how to run an athletics program at the university level, how to help us build and shape a football program from the ground up,” said Keene.

In addition to leading the formation of a football program, Williams will also be responsible for selecting KSU's new men's basketball coach , who was fired earlier this year.

You can view the full press conference on KSU's website here.