A former president of the Ohio State Alumni Association is Maryland’s new athletic director.
Maryland named Jim Smith, who presided over Ohio State’s alumni association from 2016-20, as the new leader of its athletic department on Thursday. Smith replaces Damon Evans, who left Maryland for SMU in March.
Smith, who earned a master’s degree in sports management from Ohio State in 1991 after graduating from Northwestern with a bachelor’s degree in communications, returns to the Big Ten after five years as the senior vice president of business strategy for the Atlanta Braves. He was also previously an associate athletic director at Ohio State from 1995-2000, after which he worked for the Columbus Crew, the Atlanta Falcons and their parent company, Arthur M. Blank Sports & Entertainment, before returning to Ohio State for his tenure leading the alumni association.
According to Maryland’s announcement, Smith “plans to tap the consulting talents” of former Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, whom he worked alongside as alumni association president.
“Intercollegiate athletics is undergoing rapid change. The AD position is evolving as well,” Gene Smith said in a statement provided to Maryland. “Jim Smith's experiences on campus and with pro sports make him uniquely qualified to lead the Terrapins program. Organizations like Ohio State, the Braves, the Falcons and Atlanta United are all exceptional, making Jim a tremendous hire.”
