Megan Reed, Campus Carrier Editor-in-Chief
Todd Brooks has returned to Berry as athletic director after a two-year absence.
Brooks was athletic director from 1998 to 2013, when he left to serve as athletic director at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. He was Berry’s head men’s basketball coach from 1997 to 2002 and has also led the volleyball and women’s basketball teams.
He has filled the position vacated by Tom Hart, who stepped down in May.
Brooks, who started last month, said the connections he made at Berry during his 16-year tenure were his main motivation for returning.
“I had built up some very strong relationships both professionally and personally on this campus and always appreciated Berry’s mission in helping young people the way they did, to better themselves and get life ready,” Brooks said.
He said he missed having direct contact with student-athletes and was looking forward to working with students.
“I was at a state school, and it was a wonderful program, but my interaction in that role was quite different than what I had become accustomed to at Berry,” Brooks said. “Just human nature, I found myself missing and wanting to get back to the point where I had a little more influence on the student-athletes.”
Brooks oversaw extensive growth in Berry’s athletic programs. During his tenure, Berry’s teams doubled from 10 to 21, and he assisted in planning for the construction of the Cage Center, which was finished in 2008. He also helped facilitate the school’s transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division III, a decision he called “the best move we could have made.”
“It’s a much greater commitment to the academic side of the house,” Brooks said. “We want to make sure that our student-athletes are students first and athletes second.”
He said one of his main goals for Berry’s athletic programs is the success of athletes both on and off the field.
“I have a goal of trying to continue to advance our programs in a way where they become a preeminent Division III athletic program. Does that mean winning national championships every year? Not necessarily,” he said. “It matters that we’re being successful, but also that we’re doing everything else right. We’re graduating our young people, we’re helping them become very successful citizens.”
Dean of students Debbie Heida said she was “absolutely excited to have Todd back.”
“He’s hit the ground running and brings additional experience from another D1 school where he’s learned a lot of things that are helpful to us,” she said.
Brooks said he is anticipating seeing the football team in action. He did not get to see the team play, although he was instrumental in planning for the addition of the team to Berry’s athletic offerings. He has also been working on the addition of men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, which will bring Berry’s total amount of athletic teams to 23.
While he has seen Berry’s athletics program double in size and witnessed the construction and renovation of several sports facilities, he said he is grateful that in some ways, Berry has stayed the same since he arrived 18 years ago.
“It’s nice that, as many things change, many things stay the same. It was good to be welcomed back by all my friends,” Brooks said. “The majority of the people that were here when I left just two years ago are still here, and you expect that. It’s because a lot of people’s tenure here is long because they believe in Berry just as much as I do.”