Nathan Baird

nbaird@jconline.com

Bobinski has 20 years experience as a Division I AD at Georgia Tech, Xavier and Akron.

Bobinski played baseball at Notre Dame and also has a background in university fundraising.

Bobinski and outgoing athletic director will work together during the transition.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue culminated the six-month search for its new athletic director with a lot of talk about "starting blocks" on Tuesday.

From Purdue president Mitch Daniels' perspective, the reference alluded to how early in the search process Georgia Tech athletic director Mike Bobinski set himself apart. Daniels introduced Bobinski as the "most competitive, determined, proven winner" the Boilermakers could find.

For Bobinski, the starting blocks represented where Purdue athletics currently stand — poised, in his eyes, "to really take off and have great things happen."

Purdue reached outside of its extended family to hire Bobinski. Early in his introductory news conference at Hovde Hall, he reached out to that base of alumni and fans.

"Being successful at this level requires an all-in commitment," Bobinski said. "There are no pretenders in the Big Ten and at the 'Power Five' level. You've got to have a top-to-bottom, side-to-side, all-in commitment. As we look ahead, I certainly feel that from the leadership at Purdue.

"I would ask the extended Purdue family to stay together, stay involved and stay supportive. We can't do it just by ourselves in athletics. We need everybody with us."

Bobinski, 58, has been a Division I athletic director for 20 years, including the past three at Atlantic Coast Conference member Georgia Tech. He succeeds Morgan Burke, the dean of Big Ten Conference athletic directors. Burke announced in February that he would step down no later than the end of his contract on June 30, 2017.

Bobinski said he hoped to be in position by the Sept. 3 football season opener against Eastern Kentucky at Ross-Ade Stadium. Daniels said Bobinski and Burke would work together to determine the latter's role during the transition. (Burke, in Spain with the men's basketball team, did not attend the news conference.)

Daniels said Bobinski will receive a multiyear contract, though details have not been finalized. Daniels said Purdue has committed to the AD position being compensated in the top quartile of its peers nationally. Daniels also said the contract will include performance incentives tied to winning and other factors.

Daniels and Board of Trustees chairman Michael Berghoff, who also chaired the search committee assembled by Daniels, said Bobinski was interviewed early in the process. The search included "more than 50" candidates, according to Daniels, who said he personally met with 12.

"Man, if they're all like that," Daniels said of his thoughts after the initial meeting with Bobinski. "He's one competitive SOB, and secondly he would fit us from a values standpoint and geographic history standpoint.

"We saw some incredible talent, and names that would really surprise you. But I never saw anybody that I thought was his equal."

Berghoff said Bobinski's background and experience synched with Purdue's expectations.

Bobinski has a national profile, having served as chairman of the Division I Mens' Basketball Committee in 2012-13. He has overseen a successful football program, with Georgia Tech winning 10 games in 2014, including the Orange Bowl. Xavier men's basketball averaged 25 wins during Bobinski's 12-year tenure, making Elite Eight runs in 2004 and '08.

Bobinski also hired both Thad Matta, now at Ohio State, and Chris Mack as men's basketball coaches at Xavier. He recently hired Josh Pastner from Memphis at Georgia Tech.

Daniels, Berghoff and Bobinski all spoke of the dual pursuit of athletic and academic success. In four of the past five semesters, Yellow Jackets student athletes recorded a collective grade point average above 3.0.

"We have a unique situation here, and he has a unique combination of skills and background that fit," Berghoff said.

"We want to win desperately, no doubt, and so does our fan base in all of our sports. But we also are more committed to doing it the right way. Mike allows that to happen."

Bobinski more than once credited Burke's leadership and the foundation laid for the program he will now lead. Burke expanded or upgraded facilities throughout the athletic program, brought basketball coach Matt Painter back to Purdue and oversaw the successful Joe Tiller era in football.

Yet Bobinski also said correcting the downward slide of the football program is the No. 1 priority. Construction is underway on a $65 million Football Performance Complex project. Only a week ago, Purdue's own progress report recognized a lack of football success as "the elephant in the room" for the athletic department's financial picture.

Which brings us back to those starting blocks. Bobinski said he's not a "status-quo guy," and he's ready to push Purdue athletics forward.

"This situation is ripe for that," Bobinski said. "I believe there's lot of good that's here, lots of good that's coming. But I believe there's a way to really ratchet things up in a really positive way. That's what intrigued me and excited me about it from the very first conversation."

Contact Journal & Courier Purdue sports reporter Nathan Baird at nbaird@jconline.com. Follow him on Twitter: @nbairdjc.

Mike Bobinski

Age: 58

Birthplace: Long Island, New York

Alma mater: Notre Dame

Career experience

1979-82—accountant, Deloitte, Haskins and Sell and Arthur Young & Company

1982-84—accountant, Walt Disney Company

1984-89—associate/assistant business manager, Notre Dame

1989-94—associate athletic director, Navy

1994-98—athletic director, Akron

1998-2004—athletic director, Xavier

2004-06—associate vice president for development, Xavier

2006-13—athletic director, Xavier

2013-present—athletic director, Georgia Tech

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