ET AND LEARN


On May 16, Ken Halpin was selected as director of athletics following an extensive national search.


Hired from Eastern Washington University where he was deputy athletic director, Halpin, at Win- throp, will develop and implement a strategic vision for the athletics program, engender the suc- cess of athletics teams and individual performance of student athletes, serve as an advocate for stu- dent-athlete well-being, prioritize student-athlete academic achievement and personal growth, as well as fundraise and represent Winthrop athletics in the community.


Halpin received a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Washington State Universi- ty in 2015 and an M.A. in sport administration from Gonzaga University in 2008. He earned a B.A. from Willamette University in 2005, where he was an All-Conference performer in both football and baseball.


He and wife Amber have two sons — Kenny, 8, and Jonathan, 3. The family will welcome a daughter in November.


Halpin took time during his first few weeks on the job to answer questions about his impressions and priorities:


When did you first learn about Winthrop? What was your first impression of the cam- pus?


In 2007, the men’s basketball NCAA Midwest Regional tournament was held in Spokane, Wash- ington. Some friends and I wanted good seats for the games. We knew that to attend, we would have to ask for tickets from a school traveling a good distance. We called the Winthrop ticket of- fice… and they let us know they had extra tickets. We sat in a sea of garnet and gold fans during Winthrop’s win over Notre Dame, and that made a significant impact on me.


Once I visited the campus, I was amazed. You can look at campus pictures online all you want but they don’t do this place justice. The facilities are pretty impressive. Former President Tony DiGiorgio


Meet the Halpin family: Ken, wife Amber, children Kenny and Jonathan, have made Rock Hill their home.


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and former Athletics Director Tom Hickman built unbelievable sports facilities here so our mission is to continue to build on that success. The people have been very welcoming and it is genuine — literally everybody.


You started work on July 11. What did you do your first week? What will be your top priori- ties through the end of the year?


On my first day, I started work at 7 a.m. I had six meetings, some with staff, some with community members, and some with donors and sponsors. I had nine meetings the second day. In the first week, I met with more than 30 people. I am here to learn, and I want to soak in what this place is about. I have intentionally avoided setting prior- ities until I hear from everyone. I want to meet people and connect the dots.


Describe the sport management class you and President Dan Mahony will be co-teaching in the spring.


The class will focus on the history and current issues of sport. We are likely one of the first president and athletic director pairs to teach a college class together, if not the first. President Mahony will talk about the historical perspective of how American high school, college and profes- sional sports have evolved. I’ll cover contemporary issues.


What kind of reaction have you received since President Mahony announced this summer that the university won’t start a football pro- gram in the foreseeable future?


I’ve received a very positive reaction to the presi- dent’s decision. I give President Mahony credit for releasing his decision the way he did. President Mahony laid out the challenges very well. It was a thoughtful, thorough study that showed how starting a football team would not be a good fit for us. People understood the reasons.


For more information on Halpin, please visit www.winthropeagles.com.


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