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Maryland Extends Damon Evans, Keeping The AD With The Terrapins Through 2029

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Football

After leading Maryland Athletics to a period of transformational growth and competitive success, Damon Evans, the Barry P. Gossett Director of Athletics, has been given a contract extension that runs through June 30, 2029.

"Maryland Athletics has experienced tremendous success under the leadership of Damon Evans," said University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines. "In a transformative time in the collegiate landscape, Damon has proved to be an extremely effective leader in guiding our athletic department to championship heights, both on and off the playing fields. He has positioned our Terrapins for long-term success on the national stage and I couldn't be more pleased to have him leading the department for years to come under his mantra of One Maryland." 

Evans' philosophy of success for Maryland Athletics is based on the concept of "One Maryland," a vision to unify the entire Maryland community to achieve unparalleled success in College Park. This mantra has been in full effect since he took over as Athletic Director in June 2018 after joining the Terrapins in December 2014 when he served as Executive Athletic Director and Chief Financial Officer. He has overseen all day-to-day operations for the athletic department since October of 2017 prior to his appointment as Director of Athletics. 

"It is an honor to serve as the Barry P. Gossett Director of Athletics at the University of Maryland," said Evans. "It is my privilege to represent this world-class university and athletic department as we lead boldly, provide a student-centered environment, and inspire pride throughout all of Terp Nation. Thank you to President Pines, Chancellor Perman and the Board of Regents for their continued support as we strive for excellence in all areas at Maryland, academically, athletically, and in the community. We continue to elevate this program with significant capital projects and substantial resource allocations that allow us to compete with the best in the nation and the Big Ten Conference."

During Evans' tenure at Maryland, the Terrapins have claimed 49 Big Ten Championships and Tournament titles, the third-most of any conference institution during that span. The Terps have captured seven National Championships since 2014, including three since Evans took over as AD, including 2018 men's soccer, 2019 women's lacrosse and 2022 men's lacrosse. Maryland's football program has won bowl games in three consecutive years for the first time in the 130-year history of the program. 

Maryland student-athletes have performed at record levels in the classroom under Evans' leadership. Just this past spring, Maryland set a school record for highest departmental cumulative GPA following a semester with 3.262 with all of Maryland's teams combining for a 3.274 semester GPA. It marked the ninth semester in a row with a GPA of better than 3.000. The strong academic performance marked the 16th consecutive semester with a better than 3.000 cumulative GPA. A total of 18 Maryland programs have a cumulative GPA of better than a 3.000 and 17 of them had better than a 3.000 for the Spring 2024 semester. 

Under Evans, Maryland Athletics has experienced an unprecedented era in facilities and capital projects including the following: 

  • Opening of Jones-Hill House, home of Maryland Football
  • Groundbreaking on the new Barry P. Gossett Basketball Performance Center 
  • Construction of new state-of-the art 1080p HDR videoboard and upgraded audio system at SECU Stadium
  • Opening of Maryland Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex, including the addition of new videoboard
  • Renovation and reopening of Gossett Hall, housing the Gossett Student-Athlete Center for Academic and Personal Excellence
  • Installation of new XFINITY center-hung videoboard and sound system
  • Construction of a new broadcast operation center inside XFINITY Center, handling all non-linear and in-venue entertainment
  • Announcement of partnership with Legends and construction of hospitality and membership club, the Maryland Club at XFINITY Center, which is under construction. 
  • Installation of new LED state-of-the-art lighting system and audio system at SECU Stadium
  • Construction of Volleyball Team Suite and Locker Room inside XFINITY Center Pavilion
  • Installation of new LED state-of-the-art lighting systems at Ludwig Field
  • Installation of new LED state-of-the-art lighting systems at Bob Turtle Smith Stadium and the Maryland Softball Stadium
  • Groundbreaking on new Stanley Bobb Baseball Player Development Center 
  • Groundbreaking on new Softball Player Development Center
  • Resurfacing of the Kehoe Track & Field track

In October of 2021, Evans was named to the NCAA Transformation Committee, which is charged with making recommendations to the NCAA Board of Directors for how to address Division I's most significant challenges and more effectively meet the needs of current and future student-athletes. Evans served on the Team IMPACT National Board of Directors from 2021-24.