Athletic Director
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Mike Roth enters his 13th year as Gonzaga University's athletic director and under his leadership the Bulldogs athletic programs have grown from a recognized regional power to a player on the national scene.
After taking over as acting athletic director in July, 1997, and being named athletic director in September of 1998, the men's basketball team has flourished into one of the nation's elite programs. The Bulldogs have made 11 straight NCAA Tournament appearances dating back to 1999 when they captured the hearts of a nation with their Elite Eight run. Over the 11 years, the Zags have also reached the Sweet Sixteen four times (2000, 2001, 2006, and 2009) and earned a Top 10 final national ranking four times; 2002 - No. 6, 2004 - No. 3, 2005 - No. 10 and 2006 - No. 5. Also during Roth's tenure the men's basketball team has won nine West Coast Conference Tournament titles and had five All-America nods.
The women's basketball team has made the post-season in five of the last six years, including its inaugural NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007, after winnings its inaugural WCC Tournament title, and its second NCAA Tournament appearance in 2009 where the Zags won their first-ever game. The Zags have also appeared in three WNIT Tournament (2004, 2005, 2008) and have won an unprecedented five-straight WCC regular-season titles. The men's soccer team was the WCC Co-Champions in 2000, earned its first NCAA Tournament at-large bid in 2001 and again in 2007. The women's soccer squad made its inaugural appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2005 after earning its first national ranking that season. The Bulldogs were ranked 19th in Soccer America and 22nd in Soccer Buzz. The women's rowing team has become a powerhouse, winning 12 of 13 WCC Championships, including nine-straight from 1997-2005. Baseball also made a splash in the national scene, making its first NCAA appearance in 28 years after winning its inaugural WCC conference series title in 2009. The Zags closed out the season ranked 22nd by Baseball America.
The Gonzaga athletic program also has had extreme success in the classroom during Roth's tenure. The Bulldogs have averaged a 3.0 GPA or higher in 22-straight semesters dating to the fall of 1998. The 2008-09 academic year was another successful one with a 3.21 fall and a 3.22 spring semester GPA to maintain the cumulative GPA of 3.21. During his nine years at the helm, 973 student-athletes have been named to the President's List (3.7 GPA or higher), while 816 student-athletes have been named to the Dean's List (3.5-3.69 GPA).
In addition, 181 student-athletes have earned WCC All-Academic recognition. The Bulldogs are also first in total number of student-athletes named to the WCC Commissioner's Honor Roll since its inception in 2004.
On the national scale, 10 student-athletes have garnered CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America accolades, including three-time honoree George Josten (2005, 2006, 2007 - men's soccer), and two-time honorees Blake Stepp (2003, 2004 - men's basketball) and Jared Hertz (2000, 2001 - baseball).
Roth has overseen the upgrades of multiple facilities during his tenure. In 2003, Gonzaga added the Kermit Rudolf Fitness Center for Gonzaga students, faculty and staff. The state-of-the-art fitness center includes two levels, housing fitness and strength training zones. In 2004, GU opened the McCarthey Athletic Center, a 6,000 seat basketball arena which is now the home for both the Bulldog men's and women's basketball squads. The men's team continues to play before sellout crowds while the women's attendance leads the West Coast Conference. In 2005, Gonzaga opened the Harry A. Green Indoor Rowing Facility giving GU one of the most progressive indoor training facilities on the West Coast. The 5,225-square foot facility houses more than fifty rowing machines and three high-definition plasma televisions that are integrated into a computerized rowing program that allows student-athletes to compete with each other as a team. In 2007, Roth and Gonzaga added Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field. The home to Bulldog baseball is an advanced lighted facility that incorporates an old-time baseball feel. The new stadium includes 1,300 theater-style seats and classic brick detailing. Finally, in the summer of 2008, Roth and Gonzaga added the Gonzaga Soccer Field, the Diedrick/DeLong Athletic Training Center and a new Academic Lab.
Up next for Roth and Gonzaga is a new indoor tennis and golf facility. The indoor golf and tennis facility will include a golf practice area along with six tennis courts. It will also feature men's and women's locker rooms.
Roth's ties to Gonzaga extend far beyond his time as Athletic Director. He was an assistant men's basketball coach under Jay Hillock in 1982-83, then returned in September, 1986, as a physical education instructor. In January, 1987, he joined the athletic department as assistant athletic director/Martin Centre Director. In that span his responsibilities expanded to include direct administration for 10 of Gonzaga's 14 sports programs. In 1991 he was designated the university's compliance officer to the NCAA, overseeing all matters pertaining to student-athletic eligibility at the institutional and NCAA level.
Roth was recognized as one of 29 regional recipients of the Under Amour AD of the Year Award (ADOY) presented by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Greater Spokane Sports Association (GSSA), worked the 1990 Goodwill Games as the weightlifting coordinator and was Sports Director for the 1989 Washington State Centennial Games. He chaired the GSSA/ Sportswriters and Broadcasters Sports Awards Banquet, and was banquet co-chair for two years.
A native of Moses Lake, Wash., Roth played basketball at Big Bend Community College, and finished his collegiate career at Willamette University where he graduated with a B.S. in sociology in 1979. He received his master's in athletic administration and physical education from Gonzaga in 1983. His coaching career also included stints as an assistant men's basketball coach at Big Bend CC and Spokane CC.
Roth and his wife Linda have two sons, Brad (1989), a current Gonzaga student, and Matt (1991).
