Dick Dull

Last updated
Dick Dull
Biographical details
Bornc. 1945
Biglerville, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Playing career
1963–1967 Maryland
Position(s) Javelin thrower
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1981–1986 Maryland
1996–1998 Nebraska–Kearney
1998–1999 Moravian
1999–2005 Cal State–Northridge
2007–2009 Belmont Abbey
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
ACC javelin throw (1966)

Richard Dull (born c. 1945 [1] ) is an American former athletic director and athlete. He served as the athletic director of the University of Maryland from 1981 to 1986, including during the death of Len Bias, which prompted Dull's resignation. He has also been athletic director at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Moravian College, California State University, Northridge, and Belmont Abbey College.

Contents

Early life and college

Dull attended Biglerville High School in Biglerville, Pennsylvania, where he played basketball and competed in track and field in the javelin throw event. [2] As a sophomore, he won the state championship. He suffered a serious injury to his elbow ligament, but recovered and finished as a runner-up in the state championship during his senior year in 1963. [2] [3] As of 2008, he still held the school's record at 198 feet and 6 inches. [2]

Dull attended college at the University of Maryland, where he continued competing in the javelin throw at the intercollegiate level. As a senior in 1966, he won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship in the event at 223 feet and 3.5 inches. [4] That year, he also placed in the top-ten in the NCAA event. [2]

Athletic director

Maryland

After receiving a Juris Doctor degree, he took a pay cut from $22,000 to $8,500 and became an assistant ticket manager at his alma mater. [2] He rose through the ranks of the Maryland athletic department and became athletic director in 1981, succeeding Jim Kehoe. [5] In January 1982, Dull hired Bobby Ross to succeed Jerry Claiborne as the school's head football coach. [6] The hire was somewhat surprising as Ross, then an assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, was not a high-profile coach. Ross described himself as a "no name". [7] Nevertheless, Maryland had great success under Ross, and quarterback Boomer Esiason excelled in his pro-style offense. [8]

During Dull's tenure, the Maryland football and men's basketball teams both secured ACC championships, and the women's basketball team advanced to the Final Four. [2] Dull was serving as athletic director when Maryland basketball star Len Bias died from a cocaine-induced heart attack in 1986. [2] He resigned his post on November 4 citing the incident. [1] He agreed to remain on the staff for one year as an athletic and policy advisor. [1]

After Maryland

Bias' death and the controversy it created affected Dull. The Baltimore Sun called Dull "one of the rising stars" in his profession at the time of the incident. [9] Dull later said, "I survived it. No one can ever bring Len Bias back, and that I regret. He was a wonderful young man." [2] In 1987, the University of Texas at El Paso offered Dull a job as its athletic director, [10] but he eventually declined the offer. [11] In the decade following Bias' death, Dull worked in real estate, consulting, and lived off of his savings. [2] In two years during that period, he earned less than $7,500, which was less than required to file an income tax return. [2] He said, "I could not get a job interview (in athletics) for 10 years." [2]

In 1996, he was a candidate for athletic director at Radford University. [12] That year, he was hired as the athletic director at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, a Division II school. [13] In 1999 while the athletic director at Moravian College, [14] he was hired by California State University, Northridge, his first Division I athletic director job since Maryland. The hiring was controversial, and some members of the university's advisory board demanded it be reviewed and overturned. [15] [16] In 2001, Northridge dropped its football program on Dull's recommendation to the Board of Trustees. [17] He stepped down in 2005. [18]

Dull eventually retired, [2] but returned to his work as the athletic director of Belmont Abbey College in June 2007. [17] In 2008, he established an athletic hall of fame at the school. [19] In August 2009, Dull resigned from Belmont Abbey with a statement that he had been hired for a transition to a full-time athletic director and that the transition period had elapsed. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Len Bias</span> American basketball player (1963–1986)

Leonard Kevin Bias was an American college basketball player who attended the University of Maryland. During his four years playing for Maryland, he was named a first-team All-American. Two days after being selected by the Boston Celtics with the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA draft, Bias died from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose. In 2021, Bias was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lefty Driesell</span> American basketball player and coach

Charles Grice "Lefty" Driesell is a retired American college basketball coach. He was the first coach to win more than 100 games at four different NCAA Division I schools, Driesell led the programs of Davidson College, the University of Maryland, James Madison University, and Georgia State University. He earned a reputation as "the greatest program builder in the history of basketball." At the time of his retirement in 2003, he was the fourth-winningest NCAA Division I men's basketball college coach, with 21 seasons of 20 or more wins, and 21 conference or conference tournament titles. Driesell played college basketball at Duke University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juan Dixon</span> American basketball player and coach

Juan Dixon is an American former professional basketball player and the previous head coach for Coppin State University in Baltimore. Dixon led the University of Maryland Terrapins to their first NCAA championship in 2002 and earned Most Outstanding Player honors at the 2002 Final Four.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph Friedgen</span> American football player and coach (born 1947)

Ralph Harry Friedgen is a former American football coach. He was most recently the special assistant coach for Rutgers in 2015 after serving as their offensive coordinator in the 2014 season. He was the head coach at the University of Maryland, College Park from 2000 to 2010. After the 2010 regular season, it was announced that Friedgen would not be returning for the 2011 season, ending his ten-year run as head coach. Friedgen was previously an offensive coordinator at Maryland, Georgia Tech, and in the National Football League (NFL) with the San Diego Chargers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Williams</span> American basketball coach

Gary Bruce Williams is an American university administrator and former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland, the Ohio State University, Boston College, and American University. In 2002, he led Maryland to win the NCAA tournament championship. Williams retired after the 2010–11 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curley Byrd</span> Athlete, academic, and politician

Harry Clifton "Curley" Byrd was an American university administrator, educator, athlete, coach, and politician. Byrd began a long association with the University of Maryland as an undergraduate in 1905, and eventually rose to the position of university president from 1936 to 1954.

Walter Ander "The Wizard" Williams is an American former professional basketball player. A sharpshooting 6'8" forward/guard, Williams attended school at the University of Maryland from 1988 to 1992, and is credited by many for resurrecting the school's basketball program which was going through very difficult times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Premier America Credit Union Arena</span>

Premier America Credit Union Arena, formerly Matador Gymnasium, and formerly known by its nickname the Matadome, is a 2,500 seat, indoor multi-purpose stadium on the campus of California State University, Northridge in Northridge, California. The Matadome was renovated in 2014. With the renovation, the arena now has a capacity of 2,500.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trent Johnson</span> American college basketball coach

Trent Aubrey Johnson is an American college basketball coach who is currently head coach at Cal State Northridge. Johnson had previously been the head coach at Texas Christian University, Louisiana State University, Stanford University, and University of Nevada.

Joseph John Krivak was an American football player and coach. He served as head coach for the Maryland Terrapins football team from 1987 to 1991, where he compiled a 20–34–2 record. He also served as an assistant coach at Maryland, Syracuse, Navy, and Virginia. As a coach at Maryland, Krivak mentored future National Football League (NFL) quarterbacks Boomer Esiason, Neil O'Donnell, Frank Reich, Stan Gelbaugh, and Scott Zolak. In all, he coached on seven Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship team staffs and in 14 bowl games as an assistant or head coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Gottfried</span> American college basketball player, college basketball coach

Mark Frederick Gottfried is an American men's college basketball coach and former player who most recently served as head coach of the Cal State Northridge Matadors

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland Terrapins men's basketball</span> Mens basketball team of the University of Maryland

The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition. Maryland, a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), left the ACC in 2014 to join the Big Ten Conference. Gary Williams, who coached the Terrapins from 1989 to 2011, led the program to its greatest success, including two consecutive Final Fours in 2001 and 2002, which culminated in the 2002 NCAA National Championship. Maryland has appeared in 30 NCAA tournaments and won their conference tournament 4 times. The Terrapins have competed in 100 seasons, accumulating an overall record of 1,641–1,086 as of the 2022–23 season. Maryland is currently coached by Kevin Willard.

The Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team is the men's college basketball program representing California State University, Northridge. The team currently competes in the Big West Conference of the NCAA's Division I. The Matadors' current (interim) head coach is Trent Johnson.

Deborah Ann Yow is an American college sports administrator and former college basketball coach. She was the director of athletics at North Carolina State University, and held the same position at the University of Maryland and Saint Louis University. She previously served as the head coach of the women's basketball teams of the University of Kentucky, Oral Roberts University, and the University of Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Markus Carr</span> American basketball player

Markus Carr, also known as M. Carr, is an American basketball player who played in several European countries and South America. Most recently, Carr has played three seasons for the BC Vienna in Liga.1 Austria (2009–2012). In the season 2014/15 he played for the "Raiders Villach" Liga.2. Carinthia, both of the Austrian Basketball Bundesliga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cal State Northridge Matadors</span> Intercollegiate sports program

The Cal State Northridge Matadors are the athletic teams that represent California State University, Northridge in Northridge, Los Angeles, California. The Matadors field 17 teams in nineteen sports. The Matadors compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Big West Conference. CSUN has been a member of the Big West Conference since the summer of 2001 for most sports. The men's and women's indoor track and field teams compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation instead. Men's volleyball also competed in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, but began to compete in the Big West beginning in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Kehoe</span>

James Henry Kehoe, Jr. was an American athletics coach and university administrator. He served as the athletic director at the University of Maryland from 1969 to 1978, during which time he was responsible for the hiring of future Hall of Fame coaches Lefty Driesell, Jerry Claiborne, Bud Beardmore, and Chris Weller.

The University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 1982 by the M Club Foundation to honor student-athletes, coaches, and administrators who made significant contributions to athletics at the University of Maryland. The Hall of Fame was established by athletic director Dick Dull, Jack Faber, Tom Fields, Al Heagy, Jim Kehoe, Art Kramer and Jack Scarbath, who determined the selection criteria and the organization's by-laws. The criteria and by-laws were later approved by an Election Committee of coaches and letter winners appointed by Dick Dull.

Dominick A. "Dino" Mattessich is a Croatian-American university administrator and former college lacrosse coach and player. He served as the head coach for the University of Maryland and University of Baltimore varsity lacrosse teams and for the University of Connecticut club team. He has worked in collegiate athletic administration for over 20 years and is currently the deputy director of athletics at Hofstra University.

The 2017–18 Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team represented California State University, Northridge during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Matadors, led by fifth-year head coach Reggie Theus, played their home games at the Matadome as members of the Big West Conference. They finished the season 6–24, 3–13 in Big West play to finish in last place. They failed to qualify for the Big West tournament.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Maryland' Dull resigns, cites Bias incident, The Palm Beach Post, October 8, 1986.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Biglerville: Catching up with Dick Dull, The Daily Record-Sunday News, November 18, 2008.
  3. ↑ New Javelin Record Is Set By Dick Dull, The Gettysburg Times, April 22, 1963.
  4. ↑ Men's ACC Outdoor Honors, University of Maryland, retrieved July 25, 2010.
  5. ↑ Dull touted for Kehoe's UM post, The Baltimore Sun, June 9, 1981.
  6. ↑ K.C. aide Ross to be Terps' grid coach, The Baltimore Sun, January 12, 1982.
  7. ↑ Bobby Ross: 'no name' no longer, The Baltimore Sun, November 28, 1982.
  8. ↑ Champion of the underdog, Time Herald-Record, August 8, 2004.
  9. ↑ Bias' death altered lives; Decade: Ten years later, the lives of those who knew him are still not the same, The Baltimore Sun, June 19, 1996.
  10. ↑ Texas-El Paso Offers Maryland's Dull Job As Athletic Director, The Washington Post, May 22, 1987.
  11. ↑ Dull Rejects Offer From Texas-El Paso Gives Chancellor's Departure as Reason, The Washington Post, May 23, 1987.
  12. ↑ AD SEARCH CONTINUING AT RADFORD, The Roanoke Times, May 1, 1996.
  13. ↑ SEVERAL LIVES WERE CHANGED WHEN BIAS LOST HIS, The Boston Globe, June 30, 1996.
  14. ↑ DULL TO STEER CSUN SPORTS; `HEALING WOUNDS,' BUDGET TOP AGENDA, Daily News (Los Angeles), May 27, 1999.
  15. ↑ ARIAS SUPPORTERS WANT REVIEW, Daily News (Los Angeles), June 9, 1999.
  16. ↑ ARIAS SUPPORTERS REQUEST OVERTURN OF HIRING, Daily News (Los Angeles), June 10, 1999.
  17. 1 2 ABBEY HIRES NEW ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, DICK DULL FORMERLY HELD SAME POSITION AT MARYLAND 1981-86, Charlotte Observer, June 28, 2007.
  18. ↑ DULL QUITS AS HEAD OF CSUN ATHLETICS, Daily News (Los Angeles), July 22, 2005.
  19. ↑ Belmont Abbey to start Athletics Hall of Fame Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine , Gaston Gazette, September 16, 2008.
  20. ↑ A.D. Dull leaving Belmont Abbey as school year starts (UPDATE) Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine , Gaston Gazette, August 19, 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.