Norwood Teague

Norwood Teague - Director of Athletics

Norwood T. Teague became the Director of Athletics at Virginia Commonwealth University on July 1, 2006. Since that time, the department has experienced tremendous success, garnering pride and national visibility for Rams Athletics.

Success has come in competition, development, and in the classroom. During the 2008 spring semester, 55 percent of the Rams’ student-athletes had a grade point average of 3.0 or better. The numbers on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll continue to grow as well.

The Rams’ success in men’s basketball since Teague took the reins at VCU has been noteworthy. The team won the 2007 Colonial Athletic Association championship and beat Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The 2007-08 team finished first in the CAA’s regular season standings and again qualified for postseason play. In the spring of 2008, Teague worked out a six-year extension on the contract of men’s basketball head coach Anthony Grant.

The VCU women’s basketball team set a school record with 26 victories in 2007-08, made the CAA tournament championship game for the first time in its history and qualified for postseason play. During that same academic year, veteran tennis coach Paul Kostin recorded his 800th career victory and both his men’s and women’s teams qualified for the NCAA tournament. The men’s team won the 2008 CAA championship. In addition, head golf coach Matt Ball was named the CAA coach of the year in 2008.

VCU’s baseball team won the 2007 CAA championship to earn an NCAA tournament spot. The Rams’ women’s soccer team made the 2007 CAA final under the direction of co-head coaches Tim Sahaydak and Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak – Teague’s first head coaching hires. Six men’s track athletes have made NCAA regional appearances during Teague’s tenure.

Under Teague’s leadership, the Rams have enjoyed a 48 percent increase in fundraising. Teague consolidated VCU Athletics’ fundraising efforts by combining the Pride Fund and the Rams Club into the new Ram Athletic Fund. This has streamlined the fundraising operation for better efficiency and success.

Teague launched a Basketball Enhancement Fund project in 2007. This first phase included the renovation of the men’s and women’s basketball corridor as well as significant upgrades to the basketball lounge, locker room and hallway areas, and a state of the art video system. The project also included a renovation of the Franklin Street Gym. Further upgrades to the Rams’ facilities are in the works, as phase two of this project began in Spring 2008.

Teague currently serves as a member of the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Committee. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers.

Teague is a native of Raleigh, N.C. He graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1988 with a degree in Political Science. In 1992, Teague earned a Master’s degree in Sports Administration from Ohio University.

Teague came to VCU from his alma mater, University of North Carolina, where he worked from 2001-2006 as the Tar Heels’ Associate Athletic Director for Marketing. In that position, he negotiated numerous partnership and rights agreements. Among them was an 8-year, $20-million contract with Learfield Sports and a first ever on-premises signage partnership with Wachovia in the Dean E. Smith Center. This was an $18 million deal spanning eight years.

From 1999-2001, Teague served as general manager of the Sun Devil Sports Network at Arizona State. While there, he increased sales and negotiated several multi-year television contracts. Teague oversaw radio, television, Internet and signage operations.

During 1998-99, Teague headed up new programs for Vilcom Sports and The Tar Heel Sports Network at the University of North Carolina.

At the University of Virginia Athletic Department from 1993-98, Teague worked first in the sports marketing office, and then served as the Director of Operations for the Cavaliers’ men’s basketball program under Jeff Jones.

“Norwood’s first two years directing the Department of Athletics have been exciting and productive,” said VCU President Dr. Eugene P. Trani. “I’m confident the department is in excellent hands and I look forward to watching its continued growth.”

UNC basketball coach Roy Williams said, “Norwood will be great for VCU because of his enthusiasm and work ethic. He has an incredibly bright future. I look forward to seeing the things he will accomplish at VCU.”