Announcing Brian Barrio as Director of Athletics

Tue, 10 Dec 2019 15:27:20 -0500

I am pleased to announce that Brian Barrio will join our UMBC Community as Director of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation effective January 2020.

Barrio will direct UMBC’s 17-sport NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics program, all campus recreational programs (intramurals, club sports, recreational activities), and the physical education program. Barrio comes to UMBC after serving as Director of Athletics at Central Connecticut State University and in other leadership positions at the University of Nevada, Pepperdine University, University of Southern California, and the America East Conference. At the University of Nevada, he played a major role during a run of two Mountain West Conference men's basketball championships, a Sweet Sixteen appearance, and the opening of a $3-million state-of-the-art men's basketball facility.

Barrio is an ideal match for UMBC because of his proven commitment to the success of student athletes. Throughout his career, he has implemented academic programs and student-athlete admissions policies that led to significant student-athlete GPA increases.

"It was clear to me throughout my conversations with everyone involved in the process that UMBC has a bold and clear vision for how athletics can move the needle on the university's strategic goals,” Barrio said. “I am thrilled to be trusted to help execute that vision over the coming years. The tremendous coaches and student-athletes already in place at UMBC will make this an exciting transition for me.”

Originally from Old Lyme, Connecticut, Barrio earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Boston College in 1999, where he was a team manager for the men's basketball team and an intern in the sports information office. Following internships at Central Connecticut and Ohio State University, Barrio went on to earn his Juris Doctorate from the University of California-Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Barrio and his wife, Katie, have three children: Casey, Marcus, and Fiona.

“I am delighted to welcome Brian Barrio to UMBC,” President Hrabowski has shared. “His values and experience are impressive. He will be an outstanding ambassador for UMBC Athletics, and a leader who will make an immediate contribution to the campus.”

I would like to thank Jack Suess, Vice President, Division of Information Technology, for chairing the search and the committee which included:

Lisa Akchin, Associate Vice President, Engagement & Assistant to the President
Matthew Baker, Professor, Geography and Environmental Systems
Dale Bittinger, Assistant Vice Provost, Admissions and Orientation
Damian Doyle, Assistant Vice President, Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions
Kim Leisey, Associate Vice President, Student Affairs
Kimberly Moffitt, Associate Professor and Director, Language, Literacy, and Culture
Tyler Moore, Student Athlete
Ryan Odom, Head Coach, Men’s Basketball
Lynne Schaefer, Vice President, Administration & Finance
Amy Slade, Head Coach, Women’s Lacrosse
Valerie Thomas, Associate Vice President, Human Resources
Gary Wohlstetter, Senior Associate Athletic Director

The campus community will have an opportunity to meet and learn more about Brian during a welcome event and press conference on campus early next week. I am excited to work with him to continue the strong momentum of Retriever Athletics.

Greg Simmons ‘04, Vice President, Institutional Advancement