CU director of intercollegiate athletics Chris Del Conte has been presented the 2010 Bobby Dodd Division I-A Athletic Director's Award.
The Bobby Dodd Foundation recognized Del Conte for his support last season in the TCU football program posting a 12-1 record, No. 6 final ranking and the school's first-ever BCS appearance. Horned Frog coach Gary Patterson was honored as the 2009 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year.
"I would like to extend a special thanks to (TCU) Chancellor (Victor) Boschini and my predecessors Frank Windegger, Eric Hyman and Danny Morrison in laying the foundation for us to receive this award," Del Conte said. "TCU is defined by momentum, not just in our athletics program but throughout campus. It is a privilege for my family to call TCU home, and I'm most appreciative for the opportunity to serve a terrific Chancellor and Board of Trustees."
In his first year on campus, Del Conte saw TCU set a single-season school record with six conference championships (football, men's swimming and diving, women's basketball, men's tennis, women's tennis and baseball) while also winning a national title (rifle).
The momentum continued into the summer. In just six months, $115 million was raised for the renovation of the west side and north end zone of Amon G. Carter Stadium. The announcement was made Aug. 16. Work will begin immediately following the 2010 football season and be fully completed in 2012. Additionally, a TCU record $4.4 million in Frog Club donations was received over the last year.
Fifteen of TCU's 20 sports in 2009-10 were represented in NCAA postseason play and 12 sports were nationally ranked.
It was an overall historic year for the Horned Frogs. In addition to the football team making its first appearance in a BCS game, the baseball team reached the College World Series for the first time. TCU was the only school in the nation to reach a BCS game in football, win at least one game at the CWS and capture a national championship in another sport.
TCU was one of just three institutions to have multiple National Coaches of the Year in Patterson (football) and Jim Schlossnagle (baseball). Patterson and Schlossnagle were part of five TCU coaches (Darryl Anderson, men's indoor track and field; Jeff Mittie, women's basketball; Angie Ravaioli-Larkin, women's golf) to receive Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year accolades.
The success on the playing field carried over to the classroom. In the Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 semesters, TCU student-athletes recorded their highest cumulative grade-point average since tracking began in 1998. Fifteen of 20 sports have team GPAs over 3.0.
The partnership between TCU and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex was never more evident than the 2009-10 athletics campaign. Football, baseball, soccer and volleyball set single-season attendance records.
