Searching for a New Athletic Director: Missy Conboy

Recently the Buffalo news published a preliminary list of names rumored to be under consideration for Warde Manuel's old position.

In no particular order Bull Run will give a quick rundown of those names and of any others that pop up during the search. The first candidate that will be covered in Missy Conboy, who serves as the Senior Deputy Directory or Athletics and the University of Notre Dame.

Conboy is a 23-year veteran of the Notre Dame athletic department, she was promoted to senior deputy director of athletics in August 2009 after serving as deputy athletics director since 2004.

Conboy previously was appointed senior associate athletics director in August 2002 following 11 years as associate athletic director and five years as assistant athletic director.

She also served as the University's interim director of athletics from June-July 2008 following the departure of Kevin White to Duke University.

As senior deputy director, Conboy is charged with the management of internal aspects of the department, those that impact both the university constituent groups and the student-athletes.

Among the areas reporting to Conboy are facilities (including the master plan for athletic facilities), human resources, student welfare and development, game management, RecSports, and the sport performance division.

It's an impressive title and history (see full list) at an impressive institution but this candidate went to one college and has worked at it since.

Conboy was a four-year member of the Notre Dame women's basketball team from 1978-82, serving as team captain her senior year. So, like any candidate should she does know the job from all sides.

Personally I'd like someone in here who has, at some point in their career, faced the type of problems that UB is having right now. When is the last time Notre Dame had trouble raising money? or interest? At the very least I would prefer someone who has hod to work within a conference structure, and perhaps, for a public institution.

Her positives are that she has done just about everything that one can do in an athletics department. Her resume is one of a person that has done everything from moping the floors (figuratively speaking) to having a hand in the highest level hiring and firing that happens in a department.

Aside from being a Buffalo Native, and working at Notre Dame, there is nothing that screams "This is the one". I could certainly see her as an Athletic Director but given that so much of Notre Dames financial figures are under wraps, and the fairy tale world in which they live, it's hard to know how well she would deal with SUNY of the community when it comes time to raise funds.