Bob De Carolis - Oregon State University Athletics

Bob De Carolis

Director of Athletics

Bob De Carolis became the 12^th director of athletics at Oregon State University when then-President Dr. Paul Risser appointed him to the position on August 28, 2002. He signed a five-year contract extension in May of 2006.

De Carolis originally joined the OSU staff on April 20, 1998 as associate athletic director of internal operations; he was promoted to senior associate athletic director on July 1, 1999. Prior to coming to Oregon State, he spent 19 years on the athletic department staff at the University of Michigan.

Since arriving at OSU, De Carolis has developed and executed the financial recovery plan that helped the OSU Department of Athletics eliminate a $12.5 million accumulated deficit and grow the overall budget by more than $20 million. At the same time, the department was able to not only maintain competitive teams, but also had its first winning football season in nearly three decades, its first winning men’s basketball season in 15 years, the softball program made its first appearance ever in the College World Series and the baseball team competed in the College World Series for the first time in over five decades – capturing the 2006 and 2007 national championships. With him in a leadership role, the football program has played in seven bowl games and overall 16 of the 17 intercollegiate programs sponsored by OSU have participated in postseason.

De Carolis has been responsible for hiring some of the most high profile coaches in OSU history, including Mike Riley (football), former U.S. Olympic coach Taras Liskevych (volleyball), two-time NCAA Coach of the Year Jim Zalesky (wrestling), former standout assistant coach LaVonda Wagner (women’s basketball), Craig Robinson (men’s basketball), Kelly Sullivan (women’s track/cross country), Larry Liebowitz (women’s swimming), Linus Rhode (women’s soccer), Steve Todd (men’s rowing) and Emily Ford (women’s rowing). All of his hires have or are building record-setting programs at OSU.

It’s not all about wins or losses or about new facilities; De Carolis has stressed the importance of being a total student-athlete and being a part of the community. With his leadership, nearly 47 percent of the entire athletic roster sports a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher. Community service hours have increased nearly 300 percent during his tenure and contributions for scholarships to the Beaver Athletic Student Fund have increased from $5 million to over $11 million.

He spearheaded the feasibility study for a plan that has expanded and renovated Reser Stadium to its current capacity of nearly 46,000. Improvements at the Stadium since the beginning of 2005 have included a new east side structure that houses some of the best amenities in all of college football, construction of the largest video board in the Pac-10 (as of 2007 season) and new seating in the south end zone. In all, approximately $115 million in improvements to the football facility alone has enabled “Beaver Nation” to create one of the best home field advantages in the nation. Beaver fans have responded with record ticket purchases.

The latest addition to the OSU facilities landscape is the Sports Performance Center (included in the Reser Stadium improvements). The new building, adjacent to legendary Gill Coliseum, houses a 17,000-square foot strength training area and a 7,000-sqaure foot wrestling practice facility. Meanwhile, the final touches were made in spring (2008) to expand the home of the two-time national champion baseball team – Goss Stadium at Coleman Field. In addition, under his guidance, OSU has built the Merritt Truax Indoor Center, the OSU Softball Complex, expanded the Tommy Prothro Football Complex and renovated several locker rooms.

De Carolis’ fundraising goals continue for the upcoming academic year and beyond. Current projects in development include a $16 million Student Academic Success Center that will be shared with the entire OSU campus, $4 million in exterior improvements to Gill Coliseum, a $4 million sports medicine facility and women’s basketball locker room, the remodeling the Valley Football Center, construction of a $10 million practice facility for the basketball and volleyball teams, a $2.5 million crew facility on the banks of the Willamette River and a $ 4 million track and field complex.

De Carolis is also actively involved in national and conference level committees, and just completed a three-year stint on the NCAA Division I Management Council (MANCO). He recently chaired the Pac-10 Conference Budget and Finance Committee, and sits on the Pac-10 Television and Bowl Committees. He also was recently selected to serve on the NCAA Student-Athlete Benefits Cabinet.

He started his Michigan career in 1979 as an administrative assistant. He was promoted to assistant business manager in 1980; at the same time, he was also named the head softball coach. De Carolis was Michigan’s softball coach from 1980 to 1984 and his Wolverines had a third-place finish at the AIAW national championships.

De Carolis was promoted from assistant business manager to business manager in 1983; in 1987 to assistant athletic director for business; in 1990 to associate athletic director for internal operations; in 1994 to senior director for financial operations; in 1996 to senior associate athletic director and became responsible for all athletic facilities and venues at Michigan (encompassed the strategic planning of all capital improvements). In addition, he managed the department’s information technology system and ancillary business operations. He was also responsible for the overall event management of football, men’s and women’s basketball, and ice hockey.

Under his leadership as senior director for financial operations, De Carolis led negotiations with Nike for an all-school contract for athletic shoes and apparel. He established a long-term relationship with Pepsi-Cola for beverage rights, and led a capital improvement project for Yost Ice Arena, Michigan Stadium and the soccer/field hockey complex.

De Carolis also spearheaded a “gift brick” donor program for Michigan Stadium, developed a comprehensive capital improvement program and coordinated the development of a master plan for the expansion of Michigan Stadium.

De Carolis is a 1976 graduate of Bloomsburg State College in Bloomsburg, Pa., with a B.S. in business education. He received a Master’s of Science degree in sports management in 1979 from the University of Massachusetts. During his undergraduate days at Bloomsburg, he was a two-year letterwinner in football and baseball from 1973-75.

He got his first taste of coaching at Bloomsburg State when he served as an assistant coach in baseball and football from 1976-78.

Bob is married to the former Sandra Taylor and they have three children, daughter Lyndsay and twin daughters Lauren and Hayley. Lyndsay is a sophomore at the University of Michigan and is a member of the Wolverines’ soccer team.