clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

The Next In Line: Miami's New Athletic Director Is Blake James

After months of waiting, searching, and debating, the AD search at Miami is finally over. They have removed the interim title from Blake James and handed him the reigns.

By Lt. Philip Nolan
Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Miami has a new (another) Athletic Director, and it's the guy everyone wanted. Blake James has had the interim title stripped from his placard, and has been handed the reigns to a Miami program that is seemingly prepared to emerge from the NCAA shadow.

His situation will be markedly different from that of Sean Eichorst, who was given the task of running the department right as the NCAA scandal began to hit full force. Perhaps even more comforting to fans, while Eichorst was mostly quiet and reserved, choosing to refuse interviews on the grounds that he would not be able to comment on the ongoing investigation, James is more than that. He can be found on Twitter at @CanesAllAccess, although that handle may change soon enough to something more befitting.

Blake has been the fan's choice all along, and has had his name in the running along with Jim Morris, the Canes' baseball coach. From Hurricanesports.com, a bio on the new AD:

Blake James is in his third year with the University of Miami Athletics Department. He is currently serving as Interim Director of Athletics; he was named to the post Oct. 4, 2012. In his previous role as Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development and Ticket Operations, James oversaw the day-to-day operations of development, ticket sales and ticket operations. James was also a member of the Hurricanes' senior staff and provided sport supervision.

James came to UM after spending seven years the University of Maine, where he first served as Senior Associate Athletic Director before serving as Director of Athletics from July 2005 to September 2010. As Senior Associate AD, his primary responsibilities focused on marketing, ticketing, retail operations, athletic development along with men's and women's track and field, cross country, men's soccer, men's basketball and baseball.

We have every reason to think that James will do a fantastic job serving as Miami's AD, and since he has already been at Miami for a long while now, we have no reason to think that he will follow in the previous two AD's footsteps and leave in short order. Al Golden finally has his long term guy.

Congrats, Blake James!