Dave Blank
Director of Athletics Emeritus
Department: Athletics
Email: dblank@elon.edu
Phone number: (336) 278-6719
Brief Biography
> Read Dave Blank's full biography on www.elonphoenix.com
The 2017-18 academic year marks the 12th for Dave Blank as the Elon University Director of Athletics, following another year of notable improvement for the Phoenix in terms of athletic success, academic progress, facility upgrades, marketing and fundraising.
Under Blank's leadership, Elon joined the Colonial Athletic Association in 2014-15, enhancing the university’s geographic footprint on the Eastern seaboard and providing the next great challenge for Phoenix athletics.
Phoenix programs have achieved both athletic and academic success during Blank’s time at Elon. Elon teams and individuals have won a combined 69 conference championships over the last 11 years, while teams or individuals have appeared in postseason play on 26 occasions. Elon teams have appeared in national rankings 22 times during Blank’s tenure, while 18 student-athletes have captured conference player of the year honors and 18 have earned freshman of the year laurels. Elon student-athletes have been equally successful in the classroom over the last 11 years, with 716 earning academic all-conference recognition.
News & Notes
Education
Dave Blank attended Duke University for two years (1978-80) before graduating from the University of South Carolina in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (Finance). He earned a Master of Science degree in Business Administration from South Carolina in 1986.
Employment History
Blank came to Elon in 2006 after spending the previous 6 years as the Director of Athletics at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Prior to 2000, Blank worked at Coastal Carolina University where he served as Assistant/Associate Director of Athletics for three years (1996-99) and Director of Athletics for one year (1999-2000). While at Coastal Carolina, Blank spearheaded efforts to raise more than $4 million to establish an intercollegiate football program at the university, which began play in 2003.
Before moving into athletics administration, Blank spent eight seasons (1988-1996) as head men’s basketball coach at Lock Haven University. Blank’s teams won 119 games during his tenure, making him the winningest head men’s basketball coach in Lock Haven history. He was named Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1996.