Syracuse University Athletics

His vision to ensure that Syracuse, year in and year out, is recognized as one of the great athletic institutions in the country, is what drives Director of Athletics Dr. Daryl Gross. His mission for Syracuse Athletics is to compete and perform at the highest level in everything – on the playing field, in the classroom, in the community and in athletics facilities. The principles in which he believes include winning championships, graduating all of the student-athletes, maintaining compliance to all NCAA rules and being fiscally sound. A veteran athletics administrator, Gross understands the proud name and great athletics tradition of Syracuse University.

In four years at Syracuse, Gross has already put his imprint on the Orange athletics’ program. Women’s ice hockey joins the slate of Orange programs beginning in 2008-09. He has hired nationally-recognized head coaches in football, women’s basketball, softball, women’s tennis, field hockey, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, women’s ice hockey and cross country and track & field, adding them to a fraternity that already includes national championship winners Jim Boeheim (men’s basketball) and John Desko (men’s lacrosse). Gross has annually increased corporate sponsorships, community outreach and donor giving. He has also overseen upgrading of the Carrier Dome, the construction of the football strength and conditioning facility and improvements to many other athletics facilities. The athletics department is the leading campus unit in the University’s ‘Campaign for Syracuse’, a $1 billion fund raising endeavor which was publicly launched in November, 2007.

Orange teams are excelling under Gross’ watch. The 2009 field hockey squad advanced to the Final Four for the first time in program history. In 2008, the men’s lacrosse team won the National Championship, while the women’s lacrosse squad advanced to the Final Four for the first time in school history. The women’s basketball team earned back-to-back post-season bids, including the 2008 NCAA Tournament and the 2009 NIT, and the cross country programs continued their steady ascent into the national spotlight, with the men achieving the 26th spot in the polls and the women’s team receiving votes in the national poll for the first time in program history. In addition, field hockey coach Ange Bradley and women’s basketball coach Quentin Hillsman earned BIG EAST Coach of the Year honors in 2007-08.

Gross initiated the ‘Cuse Awards, a celebration of the accomplishments of all student-athletes, coaches and administrators, in 2007. It is held downtown at Syracuse’s historic Landmark Theater. Gross is planting seeds for future success with the construction of the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Practice Facility, which is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2009, and a lockerroom addition for women’s ice hockey at the Tennity Ice Pavilion.

In 2005, Gross retired the #44 in football, honoring the Syracuse greats who donned the number, including 1961 Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, whose mother, Marie Fleming, attended the ceremony. Legends Jim Brown, Floyd Little, Michael Owens and Rob Konrad, among others, were also in the Dome for the historic event. Gross has also played a role in the production of the motion picture, ‘The Express’, which tells the story of Davis, and worked to bring the September, 2008 movie premiere to Central New York.

Prior to his appointment at Syracuse, Gross savored the sweet flavor of success during his 14 years in athletics administration at the University of Southern California. The Trojans won 16 national and more than 30 Pac-10 championships, fielded 145 Olympians and finished almost every year in the top 10 of the Directors’ Cup all-sports ranking, and the University’s signature program – football – dressed two Heisman Trophy winners and won two national championships.
At USC, he directed coaching searches and contract discussions, served as the department’s spokesman, led marketing and corporate sponsorship efforts, negotiated television contracts, developed and contracted football and men’s basketball schedules, jointly directed student-athlete academic services and directly supervised 10 of the University’s 19 intercollegiate sports programs, among other responsibilities. In 2001, he led the effort to sign longtime NFL coach Pete Carroll. Gross’ searches also produced women’s volleyball coach Mick Haley, track and field coach Ron Allice and men’s and women’s water polo coach Jovan Vavic, all of whom have won national championships and been named national coach of the year.

“Daryl embodies exactly the qualities we are looking for,” said SU Chancellor Nancy Cantor, introducing Gross as SU’s ninth Director of Athletics. “He has shown a depth of experience and leadership at USC and—in obtaining both his master’s and doctorate—a great appreciation and understanding of academics. This speaks well of his ability to lead a top-notch athletics program and work closely with academic partners in the institution.”

Gross holds both a master’s degree and Ph.D. in educational psychology from USC, as well as a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California at Davis, where he was a football wide receiver from 1979 to 1981, catching passes from future New York Jets quarterback Ken O’Brien. From 1982 to 1985, he was on the UC Davis football coaching staff; in 1985, the Aggies were the nation’s No. 1 Division II team. He also was the assistant men’s tennis coach. In 1986 and 1987, Gross was a grad assistant at USC, working with quarterbacks and wide receivers. From 1989 to 1991, he worked for the New York Jets as a personnel scout and in the front office.

Gross joined the USC athletic administration as an assistant athletic director in 1991, overseeing five sports teams, the athletic training room and the student-athlete insurance program. In 1995, Gross was promoted to associate athletics director and, from 1997 to 2000, he also held the post of interim director of Student Athlete Academic Services. In this role, Gross restructured all programming related to academic support for student-athletes and integrated Student Athlete Academic Services with the campus Learning Skills Center.

Gross was named a senior associate athletic director in 2002. In that role, he led USC athletics’ corporate sponsorship program to record revenues and he headed the football marketing effort that broke USC attendance records. Gross also assisted in the biggest building program in the history of USC athletics, including facilities for track & field, tennis, football, women’s soccer, basketball and volleyball.

A native of Los Angeles, Calif., Gross and his wife, Lael, Syracuse’s assistant athletics director for marketing, reside in Fayetteville with their daughters, Jamie, and Jolie and new baby, Zoe.