Guy Bailey, Chancellor at UMKC, introduced Tim Hall as the school’s athletic director on Thursday. Hall is leaving behind his associate athletic director for development position at Kent State in Ohio. He’ll be wrapping up his duties there before starting at UMKC a week from next Monday.
Hall said he wasn’t sure of his decision to move to Kansas City until he watched his son slam a toy basketball through the hoop and yell "Go, UMKC."
Leaving Kent State for a school that has done nothing but struggle in its 20 seasons at the Division-I level doesn’t seem like a wise choice to many. Hall’s wife, Beth, thinks her husband will do just fine.
"You will not find anyone who works harder," Beth Hall said. "He will give everything he has to make it successful. He’s been successful everywhere he’s been. He thrives on the challenge."
Success is something UMKC has longed to experience. Basketball games at the commuter school rarely attract more than 2,000 fans. The Kangaroos improved to 9-18 overall with an overtime win against Oakland last night, 1,344 fans were there to see it.
Money, or lack there of, is also a something athletic directors have to think about when directing a small school. UMKC has recently cut scholarships for volleyball, and men’s and women’s basketball share a team manager.
"There was nothing I saw that I didn’t sense would be that way going in," Hall said. "One of the real benefits I bring is I have not been to a BCS institutions."
Hall definitely has a steep hill to climb.
AUDIO: Guy Bailey — Tim Hall (:30 MP3)
