In an email sent by SMU on March 21, the university announced Damon Evans, the University of Maryland athletic director, will step into Rick Hart’s position on April 7.
Evans will enter a six-year contract with SMU, ending a seven-year tenure as Maryland’s athletic director. Evans steps into the shoes of Hart, who in 13 years with SMU helped the university climb into the ACC and regain prominence in collegiate athletics.
SMU’s Board of Trustees led the search for a new athletic director following an email announcing Hart’s resignation on Feb. 7. The search committee co-chair, David Miller, stated in a press release that Evans shared SMU’s vision for achieving greater national prominence.
“Damon has led two top-tier athletics programs, and now he will lead a third,” Miller said. “Damon’s knowledge, experience and extensive contacts in intercollegiate athletics will be invaluable in leading our Athletics program to even greater success in the ACC while strategically navigating the evolving NIL landscape.”
Evans, 55, spent time at the University of Georgia as a senior associate athletic director and then as the athletic director from 2004-2010. He was, however, asked to resign due to a DUI arrest in 2010.
Georgia found success under Evans’ watch, winning 13 national championships and 19 SEC championships while also regularly finishing in the top 10 in the prestigious Learfield Directors’ Cup.
Evans joined Maryland in 2014 as their senior associate athletic director. After a few seasons in that position, he became the interim athletic director in 2017 before assuming the role officially in 2018. During his tenure with the Terrapins, the university won 49 Big Ten championships and tournament titles, which was the third-most of any Big Ten school during that span.
At Maryland, Evans focused on his “One Maryland” mission, a concept with the purpose to unify the Maryland athletics community. Search committee co-chair and Board of Trustees Vice Chair Richard K. Templeton said that the committee hopes he will have a similar impact at SMU.
“SMU’s future in athletics is bright, and Damon is the right leader to drive us forward,” Templeton said. “We are thrilled to welcome him and his family to Dallas and look forward to the impact he will have on our program and on the Mustang community.”
Evans heads to the Hilltop, having already served in the two most challenging football conferences, one in the SEC and another in the Big Ten.
As SMU enters a new era in athletics as a member of the ACC and Dallas receives recognition as the No. 1 city for sports business by Sports Business Journal, Evans cites SMU’s exciting future as too good of an opportunity to pass up in a statement released on Friday.
“SMU has tremendous momentum in all aspects of its Athletics program, but I believe we can push to even greater heights,” Evans said. “I am honored to join the University and to be a part of something truly special.”
