Blank brings strong coaching bonds as
new AD
Justin Hite / Sports Editor
Over the past few years Elon's athletics have begun to
rise and garner national attention. New athletic director
Dave Blank hopes to promote this growth both with his uncanny
ability to raise money and with a special connection with
coaches, being a former collegiate coach himself.
Blank was announced on Friday as Alan White's successor
as the Elon University Director of Athletics.
Blank, who was greeted with a standing ovation, donned an
Elon baseball cap. In his first order of business, he thanked
Alan White.
"There are things we want to do, but nothing here is
broken," Blank said. "That's the legacy of Alan
White."
Before moving to Elon, Blank always hoped to return to the
place where he grew up and wanted to become an athletic
director on the east coast.
Blank's last coaching experience was as the head
basketball coach at Lock Haven University. In Jan. 1995,
during halftime of a game, Blank was called from the locker
room and to the hospital. His wife was about to have their
first son. He knew at that moment that he would be unable to
be a coach and would have to be home more. This event
propelled him to be an athletic director.
"I've loved being around athletics and it's a
natural fit," Blank said.
Elon had narrowed down the search to four possible
candidates but settled on Blank because of his coaching
background, experience and a gut level fit, according to
President Leo Lambert.
"(He is) a person who understands a balance between
academics and athletics, and is someone who understands
coaching through experience as a coach," Lambert said.
"He has a drive for excellence, outstanding
administrative experience and the ability to reach out to the
community and build support for Phoenix sports."
Blank has a long resume serving as the athletic director for
Drake University since 2000. While at Drake, he directed 17
NCAA Division I sports. Drake's student population is
3,900, roughly the same as Elon's. Blank directed a 90
percent increase in the financial support from gifts at
Drake. The biggest financial accomplishment of his career was
producing $17 million for renovations the to Drake University
football stadium.
During his entire tenure at Drake the student-athlete GPA
was never below 3.0.
"That's one of the things that I am most proud
about," Blank said.
Prior to his tenure at Drake he was the athletic director
for Coastal Carolina University and set in motion the
development of an intercollegiate football program, which
defeated the Phoenix this past football season.
Born in Frostburg, Md., Blank attended Duke University and
the University of South Carolina. He graduated from South
Carolina with a degree in business administration and a
masters degree in business administration.
"If you try to tell me who followed John Wooden at UCLA
or who followed Bear Bryant at Alabama?you can't,"
Blank said. "I might be the one who followed Alan White,
no one will remember me."
Contact Justin Hite at pendulum@elon.edu or
278-7247.
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Nathan Rode / Photographer