In the end, the University did not have to look very far to find a new athletics director.
At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, University President John T. Casteen III named Craig Littlepage the new Virginia director of athletics. Littlepage replaced Terry Holland, who resigned on May 2 to become a special assistant to Casteen.
"After we looked carefully at a wide range of options, Craig emerged as our unanimous choice," Casteen said. "Over the past decade, he has stood out for his commitment to the overall well-being of our student-athletes, particularly their academic progress, and for his thoughtful, collegial approach to complex issues. Craig solves problems, believes in the University's values, and embodies the concept of excellence that we try to promote in all that we undertake."
Littlepage has been a part of the University's athletics administration for the past 11 years, most recently as senior associate athletics director. Prior to that, he served as associate director of athletics for four years after originally joining Virginia's athletics administrative staff as an assistant director.
Littlepage took on the title of interim athletics director June 1, in which he assumed the duties of athletics director while a national search for Holland's replacement took place. Littlepage discarded that label at the press conference on Tuesday, when he asked Casteen to tear up a piece of paper with the word "interim" printed on it.
Littlepage called the seven-week period as interim athletics director "excruciating" because he found it difficult to maintain relationships with friends who were on the search committee. The 50-year-old always had dreamed of becoming Virginia's athletics director and he wanted the position badly.
"I thought, the very best thing that could have happened is that at the end of a broad search, where the best and the brightest administrators around the country were considered, Craig Littlepage would be hired," Littlepage said.
"The best thing has happened, and I'm absolutely thrilled that this day has come."
Before becoming an athletics administrator, Littlepage spent 17 years in collegiate coaching. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973 with a degree in economics, he served as an assistant men's basketball coach at Villanova (1973-74), Yale (1974-75) and under Terry Holland at Virginia (1976-82). Littlepage then took on head coaching positions at Pennsylvania (1982-85) and Rutgers (1985-88) before once again returning to Virginia as an assistant coach from 1988-90. Upon his return in 1988, the Cavaliers reached the championship game of the NCAA Southeast Regionals.
In addition to his experience with coaching, Littlepage's understanding of the Atlantic Coast Conference and National Collegiate Athletics Association, and commitment to academics were a big factor in his appointment as athletics director. Littlepage has served on a number of committees and governing bodies of both the ACC and the NCAA. He recently was named to a three-year term on the NCAA Committee on Infractions, which deals with major violations of NCAA rules. From 1997-2000, he was a member of the NCAA Academics, Eligibility and Compliance Cabinet and chaired that group's recruiting and student-athlete reinstatement subcommittees.
Littlepage also has been active in the local community by serving on the Board of Directors for the Charlottesville Ronald McDonald House.
"The search committee and I were impressed early in the search process by Craig's standing among colleagues at peer institutions, within the ACC and the NCAA, and among our coaches and student-athletes," Casteen said. "All identified his consistently strong leadership. I believe that Craig's experience prepares him in unique ways to continue building on the foundations already laid, while addressing larger issues that confront all major collegiate athletics programs."
Although he may now be basking in euphoria, Littlepage knows his new job won't be easy. He has many aspirations for the future of the Virginia athletics department, which include improving finances and academic integrity as well as establishing well-rounded student athletes.
"We have big challenges ahead, but with the commitment and continued hard work of our staff, student-athletes, faculty, and loyal followers, we can continue to build and reach for higher levels of success, both academically and athletically," Littlepage said.
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