By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Northwestern State’s two-month search for its new athletics director landed 43-year-old North Carolina State graduate Kevin Bostian, a highly-accomplished fundraiser with senior-level administrative experience at several prominent Division I athletics programs, the Demons announced Tuesday afternoon.
Bostian will be introduced Thursday morning in Natchitoches at 11 a.m. in the Friedman Student Union Ballroom on the NSU campus, in an event open to the public. He will take over for longtime Demons’ AD Greg Burke effective Monday, Feb. 7.
Bostian has spent the last two years at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro as the executive associate athletic director for development. He previously worked at NC State’s athletic department as a major gifts officer, after revenue generation and management positions at Georgia Southern, Tennessee Tech, East Tennessee State and South Alabama.
Bostian becomes just the third NSU AD since 1983, succeeding Burke, who is taking a position as a university fundraiser after 25 1/2 years in charge of the NSU Athletics. Tynes Hildebrand was AD from 1983-96.
A 2000 magna cum laude graduate of North Carolina State in business management, Bostian earned his master’s of business administration and master’s of sports administration from Ohio University in 2002. He and his wife, Megan, have three young daughters, Ayla, Zoe and Piper.
“We are elated that Kevin will be joining the university as athletic director,” Northwestern State President Dr. Marcus Jones said. “He has impressive credentials and extensive experience in college athletics that will assist him in re-energizing NSU’s intercollegiate sports program and guiding it to new levels of success.
“He has a steadfast commitment to student-athletes and their accomplishments on and off the field, and Northwestern alumni, faculty and staff, and other stakeholders will appreciate his genuineness, enthusiasm, and spirit of collaboration. Kevin and his family will be a valuable addition to the university and community.”
The hire culminated a two-month national search spearheaded by Kyle Bowlsby, founder of Bowlsby Sports Advisors, the search firm that coordinated the process. An alumni-based advisory committee helped hone the candidate pool down to roughly 12 semifinalists and three finalists, who were interviewed on campus Monday and Tuesday morning.
“Northwestern State University has hired an exceptional person in Kevin Bostian,” said Bowlsby, the 34-year-old son of Bob Bowlsby, one of college athletics’ most powerful leaders as commissioner of the Big XII Conference. “He is a transformational leader who will maximize the student-athlete experience and position the athletic department for long-term success. Kevin rose quickly on our list of potential candidates as someone who is passionate and driven to make his mark on the intercollegiate athletics landscape.”
Bostian, who interviewed on campus Monday and returned home to North Carolina, emerged as a clear choice for Jones. The hiring was announced less than three hours following the final candidate’s interview concluded before lunch Tuesday.
Based on a press release from Northwestern State Athletics
Photo/Graphic: by Northwestern State Athletics
