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The UW-Green Bay athletics department has been under the leadership of Ken Bothof since 2001. Under Bothof's direction the athletics programs have excelled competitively, student-athlete safety and welfare have been enhanced, academic performance has remained strong, the budget has grown, fund raising has increased and facilities have improved. The success of Phoenix athletics in recent years has secured greater prominence for UW-Green Bay nationwide in both athletics and academic circles. Bothof was instrumental in making the new Kress Events Center a reality, serving on the University's Capital Campaign Committee which raised $11 million towards the nearly $33 million renovation and expansion of the Phoenix Sports Center. The facility provides students with a new recreation and fitness center and the athletics department with a new on-campus arena for its volleyball and women's basketball programs, a practice facility for men's basketball, and new team rooms and locker rooms for five sport programs. The building will also house new offices for administrative staff and coaches. Under Bothof's watch, Phoenix Fund membership has grown from 150 members to over 600 and fund raising has increased 200 percent. Ticket revenues and corporate sponsorships have both increased dramatically. Bothof has also negotiated a five-year contract with Nelligan Sports Marketing for the further development of radio rights and corporate sponsorships. The levels of Phoenix athletics and academic success have soared under Bothof's watch, including five straight women's basketball conference titles and an unprecedented first round win in the NCAA tournament. No fewer than eight teams have earned honors for academic success. During the spring of 2006, the department's 209 student-athletes posted a 3.15 cumulative GPA. Bothof maintains a clear presence in administration of the Horizon League and is very active in the Green Bay community. He served as chair of the Horizon League Executive Committee for two years and currently serves as the Horizon League representative to the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association Executive Committee. Bothof has more than 19 years of Division I athletics administration experience, having begun his career in 1987 at San Jose State while pursuing a master's degree in athletics administration. Bothof served as an assistant athletics director at San Jose State for four years before moving on to Idaho State where he eventually became the senior associate athletics director. He then served as the associate athletics director for external operations at Saint Louis University before taking over leadership of UW-Green Bay's athletics department. Prior to his involvement in college athletics administration, Bothof obtained a bachelor's degree in education from Buena Vista where he was a member of both the baseball and basketball teams. |
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