Greene leaving UB for Auburn

Published January 19, 2018 This content is archived.

Athletics Director Allen Greene is leaving UB to lead the athletics program at Auburn University.

Greene has served as UB’s director of athletics for a little more than two years. Under his tenure, UB broke ground for the Murchie Family Fieldhouse, a longtime dream for the university that will greatly enhance the experience of student-athletes and the general student population.

“While we are sorry to see Allen leave UB and Western New York, I speak for our entire UB community — and for Bulls fans everywhere — when I say how grateful we are for his exemplary leadership and success in elevating UB’s athletics department,” President Satish K. Tripathi said in a statement to the UB community.

Since Greene joined the UB athletics department, university teams have earned seven MAC Tournament trophies and advanced to as many NCAA tournaments, Tripathi said, noting that shot-putter Jonathan Jones captured the Bulls’ first Division I-era NCAA national title and, during a two-year span, four UB teams went to the NCAA tournament, including men’s and women’s basketball in 2016 – the first time a MAC school won both titles since 2002.

And equally as important, Bulls teams have consistently achieved a GPA of 3.0 or better, a sign, Tripathi said, of Greene’s “commitment, and that of the entire athletics department, to fostering an environment where student-athletes excel on the field and in the classroom.”

And UB was named the recipient of the NCAA and Minority Opportunities Athletic Association’s 2018 Award for Diversity and Inclusion, “a recognition of the athletics department’s impactful initiatives aimed at creating an inclusive environment in athletics, on campus and in the community,” he said.

In addition to his work on the Murchie Family Fieldhouse, a 92,000-square-foot indoor practice facility tentatively slated for completion in spring 2019, Greene has spearheaded development of UB Athletics’ facilities master plan and has led a wide range of significant capital projects.

“These achievements and more speak to Allen’s strategic and thoughtful efforts to create a well-rounded intercollegiate program that strives for excellence in all of its pursuits, and enriches our university community in so doing,” Tripathi said. “Thanks to his leadership, our athletics department is extremely well positioned to build upon our strengths and compete among the best in the nation.”

Greene came to UB in 2012 from the University of Mississippi, where he held several positions with the UMAA Foundation, including major gifts officer and assistant athletics director for development. He was instrumental in creating, planning and implementing a $150 million capital campaign, the largest in Ole Miss athletics history.

At UB, he served as senior associate athletics director for administration and deputy director of athletics. When he was promoted in November 2015 to succeed Danny White, he became, at age 38, one of the youngest athletics directors in the NCAA Division I ranks.