MINNEAPOLIS — The Joel Maturi era will soon be over for Golden Gophers athletics.
Maturi is stepping down as the University of Minnesota's athletic director, the school announced Thursday. The 66-year-old Maturi will retire when his contract ends June 30.
"It's been a great 10 years," an emotional Maturi said Thursday. "It's been a wonderful journey."
Maturi, who took the job in July 2002, was offered a contract extension a year and a half ago but did
not sign the offer. He said that even 18 months ago, he was
feeling the effects of the stress that comes along with the job.
"As
I turn 67 next week, that tiredness has not gone away," Maturi said. "I
do not know how to do this job differently. Fourteen, 16-hour days have
become more difficult for me."
The search for a new athletic director will begin "as soon as possible," university president Eric Kaler said Thursday.
Both Maturi and Kaler said the decision for Maturi to retire was mutual.
"It makes a lot of sense to make a change now," said Maturi, a Chisholm, Minn., native. "We have a new president and we have an old athletics director. And rather than stay on one more year, I'll allow the president to bring in his person and work with him during this transitional time."
Kaler took over as president for Bob Bruininks on July 1, 2011. It will be up to Kaler to select the new athletic director, but he took time Thursday to praise Maturi's decade of service.
"It will be, we agree, simply the right time for Joel to retire as athletic director," Kaler said of Maturi. "Joel is first and foremost a terrific human being and a tireless champion for this university, especially for our student athletes. Throughout his tenure, Joel's priority first and foremost has been to make sure student athletes got an education and earned a degree. . . . Joel's legacy will be a lasting and shining one."
Kaler said Thursday that Maturi will remain at the university following the end of his contract. He'll assist with course development, teach classes and help with fundraising. Kaler also said he's confident Minnesota will have a new AD in place by July 1, the day after Maturi's contract expires.
Since taking over in 2002, Maturi's tenure as athletic director has been interesting, to say the least. With Maturi at the helm the Gophers won four national titles — men's hockey in 2003, women's hockey in 2004-05 and wrestling in 2007.
But the current state of Gophers athletics is a much different story. The football team has posted consecutive three-win seasons. The men's basketball team missed the postseason last year when it lost 10 of its 11 games to close out the season. The men's hockey team appears to have returned to relevance this season but has missed the NCAA tournament the past three years.
Men's hockey coach Don Lucia was on the selection committee that hired Maturi a decade ago. On Thursday, Lucia reflected on what Maturi's tenure meant to Gophers athletics.
"We felt at the time he'd be a great fit here," Lucia said. "Everywhere he had been, he'd had success. He's just a classy individual. We knew he would be a great fit here, being from Minnesota. . . . He came in and did a terrific job."
Maturi will also likely be remembered for several coaching hires — and dismissals — in some of the school's revenue sports. Glen Mason was fired as football coach after a 6-7 season and a bowl game appearance in 2006. Maturi took a gamble when he hired little-known Tim Brewster, who had no head coaching experience. Brewster lasted less than four years, finishing with one winning season from 2007-10. Current coach Jerry Kill was hired by Maturi to replace Brewster.
While Gophers fans seem to feel Kill has the program headed in the right direction, it's too soon to give a final verdict on Maturi's latest coaching hire after one season.
"We're all trying to do the same things, get better, and he wants us to get better," Kill said of Maturi. "We've worked together. We've moved the program forward. We're going to continue that. He'll still be a part of that."
Maturi was able to land a high-profile name as the Gophers' men's basketball coach when he hired Tubby Smith prior to the 2007-08 season. Smith led Kentucky to the national championship in 1998, but his teams at Minnesota have made the NCAA Tournament twice in his first four seasons. The Gophers are currently 16-7 and 4-6 in the Big Ten after a loss to Iowa on Wednesday.
"Joel Maturi is the reason I'm here," Smith said Thursday. "When I saw the opportunity to join the Gopher coaching family at this university, I think Joel was the catalyst. He said, 'Hey, this is a great place.' I knew about him, and many ADs around the country are good friends with him and recommended him highly. He's going to be missed. He's done some wonderful things."
Maturi was asked if he would change anything about his time as AD if he had the chance. While he said he'd let others determine the success or failure of his tenure, he did admit he'd like to see the Gophers football team make it back to the Rose Bowl — a game Minnesota hasn't been to since 1962.
"I've already invited Joel to join me in my box when we go to those bowl games," Kaler said.
Added Maturi: "I'm going to hold him to that."
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