Associate Vice President Mike Bobinski recently completed the second year of his second stint as Xavier's Director for Athletics, a year that many point to as the best-ever for Xavier's fast-improving and broad-based athletic program of 18 NCAA Division I sports. The broad smile on his face shows the pride he feels about these past successes but also Xavier's potential for the future. "The 2007-08 year certainly had its share of excitement and accomplishment for Xavier athletics," said Bobinski. "From a competition standpoint we enjoyed perhaps the most broad-based success in our history, with many teams achieving or equaling program-best finishes. Our student-athletes were also recognized for their performance in the classroom and continued their involvement in a variety of community service initiatives." "I think the future is bright across the board for our programs. This is an exciting time to be a part of the Xavier athletic program. With the continued support of the University community and our loyal alumni and fans, there's much to be accomplished in the years ahead." The NCAA recognized six Xavier athletics programs with Public Recognition Awards for academic excellence of their student-athletes. The award is given to the top 10 percent of the teams in each sport based on the NCAA Academic Progress Rate. The APR is a term-by-term progress report for every student-athlete in Division I athletics. The Xavier teams who earned accolades include: men's basketball, men's swimming, women's cross country, women's tennis, women's indoor track, women's outdoor track. All six of this year's team honorees for Xavier scored in the 90-100th percentile in their respective sports, while six more scored in the 80-90th percentile range. Four Xavier teams made the NCAA Tournament during the 2007-08 school year: men's and women's basketball, men's tennis and volleyball. Men's basketball, women's basketball and men's tennis all won either the Atlantic 10 regular season or tournament titles, while many other teams set or equaled the best finishes in school history in the A-10 Championships. Bobinski, who began a five-year term on the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee in September of 2008, came to Xavier in 1998 as Athletic Director and served in that position until his move to the development office in June of 2004. As associate vice president for development from 2004-06, Bobinski oversaw all fund-raising efforts for Xavier University including annual and planned giving, major gifts, grant services and internal operations. Bobinski returned to athletics in 2006. It's not a coincidence that Bobinski's passion for success has rubbed off on the Xavier athletic program. It has shown up in impressive results in competition and in the classroom. During Bobinski's eight years as Athletic Director, including his previous six-year tenure, Xavier's athletic teams have competed in 25 NCAA Tournament events in seven different sports. In men's basketball, Xavier has averaged 25 wins over those eight years, while winning four Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championships and two A-10 Tournament Championships. XU has made six NCAA Tournament appearances in men's basketball, including the 2004 and 2008 NCAA Tournament "Elite Eight" runs. Women's basketball made a run to the NCAA Tournament "Elite Eight" in 2001. Bobinski hired Thad Matta as the men's basketball coach in 2001 and Sean Miller as Xavier's first associate head coach. Matta is now head coach at Ohio State and Miller has since taken over as head coach at Xavier. Bobinski also hired women's basketball coach Kevin McGuff and oversaw the opening of the Cintas Center. Bobinski came to intercollegiate athletics more than 20 years ago from the business world, not the playing field or coaching arena. Before coming to Xavier he was the athletic director at the University of Akron, and prior to that, was the associate director of athletics at the U.S. Naval Academy. Before moving to the Naval Academy, Bobinski, 50, was associate and assistant business manager at the University of Notre Dame from 1984 to 1989. A native of Yaphank on Long Island, N.Y., Bobinski received his bachelor of business administration from Notre Dame in 1979, graduating magna cum laude, while playing four years for the Fighting Irish baseball team. As a licensed certified public accountant, he first went into accounting with Deloitte, Haskins and Sell and Arthur Young & Company from 1979-82. He also worked for the Walt Disney Company in Orlando from 1982-84 before moving into college athletics at UND in 1984. Bobinski and his wife, Sil, have two children, Melissa, 21, who just started her senior year at Xavier, and Brian, 19, who is a sophomore at Ohio State. They live in Mason, Ohio. |
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