Jeff Eisen named AD at Mount Olive

Published in Sports on April 22, 2005 2:02 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College has named Jeff Eisen as Director of Athletics effective July 1, it was announced Friday by President Dr. J. William Byrd. Eisen will take over for Dr. Mac Cassell, who announced last August he would step down as Athletics Director at the conclusion of 2004-05 to devote full time to teaching duties in the department of recreation and leisure studies at Mount Olive.

Eisen has spent the past seven years as Director of Athletics at Saint Francis University, an NCAA Division I institution located in Loretto, Pa. Saint Francis sponsors 21 sports and its athletics teams have won 28 Northeast Conference championships under Eisen.

During Eisen's tenure, Saint Francis has finished in the top four each year for the NEC Commissioner's Cup, which recognizes annually the school with the top overall performance in the conference's 21 championship sports. Saint Francis was the overall leader for the 2004-05 Commissioner's Cup going into the spring sports season. In the classroom, Saint Francis student-athletes have achieved an average GPA above 3.00 (4.00 scale) in each of the last 12 semesters.

Prior to his arrival at Saint Francis, Eisen spent 10 years at University of Detroit Mercy, serving five yeas as Assistant Director of Athletics and five years as Director of Marketing and Promotions. He also performed a one-year internship as a Marketing and Promotions Coordinator for the athletics department at Evansville University.

In addition, he has taught classes in sports marketing, public relations and sports and recreation law.

Prior to his involvement in college athletics, Eisen spent six years as an attorney with the U.S. General Accounting Office in Washington, D.C.

Eisen is a graduate of Marietta College in Ohio and he earned his law degree from University of Michigan Law School. He also earned a master's degree in sports administration from St. Thomas University in Miami, Fla.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity to join the staff at Mount Olive," said Eisen. "I look forward to working with the coaches and administrative staff to build on the athletics program's success established under Mac Cassell."

Cassell has been Director of Athletics at Mount Olive since 1994. During his tenure, the athletics program has grown from nine to 14 varsity sports, along with the addition of three junior varsity sports. Mount Olive athletics teams have won 17 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference regular season and tournament championships and have made appearances in 10 NCAA Division II championships.

This year alone, Mount Olive has won four conference championships so far and two teams have advanced to NCAA II post-season play, including the men's basketball team's first-ever trip to the Elite Eight.

A search committee was formed in the fall and a nationwide search began early in the spring semester. Eisen was selected out of approximately 60 applicants.

"I'm delighted that Jeff Eisen will be joining our athletics program," said Dr. Byrd. "He comes here as an experienced athletics director and he'll have enriching perspectives to share with our athletics program."

"I appreciate the confidence shown by Dr. Byrd in offering me the position, as well as that of the coaches and staff members I met on campus," said Eisen.

Eisen begins his duties July 1.

MOC Sports Information