Charleston, S.C. The Citadel President Lt Gen John W. Rosa, Jr. announced Friday at a press conference held at the Altman Athletics Center that Larry Leckonby, senior associate athletics director and chief financial officer for the University of Maryland Athletics, will be the school's new athletics director.
Leckonby, who has spent the last six years with the Terrapins, will succeed Les Robinson who will retire effective June 30 after over 40 years in collegiate athletics.
Leckonby was one of three finalists selected from a pool of 69 candidates by a search committee chaired by Judge Patrick Michael Duffy. Rosa said each of the finalists were qualified candidates and had much to offer. However, given his experience and background, Leckonby was a great fit for The Citadel and the future of Bulldogs Athletics.
“Today marks an exciting new chapter in the history of Citadel Athletics as I am pleased to announce Larry Leckonby is the newest member of the Bulldog Family,” Rosa said. “With his experience in Division I athletics and strong financial background, Larry is equipped to take Citadel Athletics to new heights. And I am pleased to say that in Larry we have found someone who exemplifies the core values of The Citadel, a man of great integrity and skilled leadership.”
Leckonby, who will report to The Citadel on July 15, was hired as the Chief Financial Officer for the Terrapin Athletics Department in September 2002. As the CFO, he managed the athletic department's annual $51.2 million operating budget, capital projects and long-range financial forecasting.
In addition, he was the sport supervisor for women's basketball, assisted the Athletics Director with men's basketball and football, and supervised the athletic business office, athletic ticket office and information technology. He was also responsible for coordinating departmental construction projects, which have included expansions to the Gossett Football Team House, new grass and field turf practice fields and the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex. He also served on several campus committees including the University Finance Committee and the University Facilities Advisory Committee.
Prior to accepting the position at Maryland, Leckonby served as the senior associate director of athletics at the University of Houston, appointed in January 1998. He was responsible for the daily administration of the department and specific areas of duty involving finance, planning, fund-raising and marketing. He also served as interim athletics director for six months in 2001 and 2002.
Leckonby also worked as the associate AD for business affairs at Boston College for four-and-a-half years (1993-98), and the assistant AD for finance and operations at Old Dominion University for five years (1988-93). He was the ticket manager and assistant business manager at Boston University from 1982 to 1988, after beginning his athletics business career at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) where he was an administrative assistant to the business manager beginning in 1981.
A former lacrosse player at Duke University, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in management science in 1979. He earned a master's degree in sport management from Massachusetts in 1983.
Leckonby is an active member of the College Athletic Business Managers Association. While serving on numerous finance and planning committees during his career, he also has helped direct several NCAA and conference championships including NCAA Baseball Super Regional events in 1999, 2000 and 2002.
Leckonby and his wife, Cris, have two daughters, Hunter and Katie, and a son, Liam.
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