Kansas University has hired a second athletic department official from the University of Connecticut.
Jim Marchiony, who worked for new KU athletic director Lew Perkins as associate AD for external affairs at UConn since April of 2002, was hired Tuesday to fill a similar role at KU.
The 48-year-old Marchiony, who spent 171/2 years working for the NCAA before heading to UConn, is expected to be involved with corporate sponsorships, licensing and sports communications at KU.
He also will explore ways to generate new revenue.
“My family and I are very excited to be going to the University of Kansas and returning to the state of Kansas,” said Marchiony, who spent the last five years of his stint with the NCAA serving as media coordinator for the Division One men’s basketball tournament.
At the NCAA, which was located in Overland Park before moving in 1999 to Indianapolis, Marchiony dealt with TV and media-relations issues.
“We lived there for 14 years and enjoyed the area very much,” Marchiony said. “I’ve always had an admiration and respect for the University of Kansas and people that work there and I’ve got a great admiration for Lew Perkins and very much look forward to working with him there.”
He said he had big-time goals for KU.
“I think the contract with ERT is a priority to monitor that and see how that works,” Marchiony said, referring to ESPN Regional TV. “I’d like to see a full house for women’s basketball. I’d like to see football making great strides. I’d like to see if we could increase the revenue streams for the division of athletics at Kansas. I am very excited about the future.”
Marchiony said it was a difficult decision to leave UConn.
“I was at the NCAA a long time, moved here and was not expecting to leave UConn so quickly,” he said from his home in Storrs, Conn.
“It was not an easy decision. A lot of great things are happening at Connecticut. The combination of men’s and women’s basketball programs here is unparalled and we’ve got an up-and-coming football program moving into a brand-new stadium. This was an opportunity that my family and I thought too good to pass up.”
Perkins did not announce any staff moves Wednesday, merely the addition of Marchiony.
“I’m excited and pleased that Jim Marchiony has accepted an offer to work at the University of Kansas,” Perkins said of the 1976 St. Bonaventure grad, who will start at KU Aug. 11.
“He brings a wealth of experience from his work at the NCAA and as an associate athletics director at UConn. He is coming back to the state of Kansas where he spent so much of his career, and I know he is looking forward to that. I couldn’t be more pleased to have Jim join our team at KU.”
