MONTGOMERY, Ala.--After 12 seasons as Auburn Montgomery's head women's basketball coach and two stints as its interim athletic director, Steve Crotz has been named the school's new athletic director, Chancellor John Veres announced today.
Crotz's most recent period as interim AD has spanned the last two years, during which he also coached the AUM Lady Senators basketball team. In that time, he has worked with the AUM administration to start a softball program, including securing its first head coach. He added an athletic trainer to the AUM staff, hired an assistant women's basketball coach and served as the tournament director for the 2006 NAIA Region XIII and the 2007 Southern States Athletic Conference baseball tournaments, both hosted by AUM. Crotz's teams have had 9 Academic All-Americans and 24 Academic All-Conference selections during his tenure as the AUM Coach.
"Coach Steve Crotz has demonstrated his commitment to academic and athletic excellence," Veres said. "His teams have performed well on the court, and his players have been among our finest students."
"Despite being a part-time interim AD, Coach Crotz created a new policy on athlete's health insurance - saving AUM around $120,000 per year." said Veres.
Veres also praised Crotz's success as a fundraiser for the athletic program.
"Under his leadership, private contributions have nearly doubled those collected the last year we had a full-time AD in place," said Veres. "As we find ourselves in troubling economic times, his combination of commitment to excellence and financial acumen will serve us well."
Crotz, who also filled in as AUM's interim athletic director in 2000-2001, is eager to tackle the tasks of a full-time athletic director.
"I look forward to the immediate challenges of increasing our graduation ratio in all sports and decreasing our reliance on state-appropriated funding," Crotz said.
Crotz compiled a record of 284-116 as head coach of the AUM Lady Senators basketball team. His teams won four regular season conference championships and two conference tournament titles and advanced to the NAIA national tournament nine times.
Crotz was named conference or region coach of the year 10 times. He was named the Ikon/Women's Basketball Coaches Association National Coach of the Year following the 1999-2000 season. His teams have included six NAIA All-Americans and numerous All-Conference and All-Region honorees.
Prior to coming to AUM, Crotz served six years as women's basketball coach at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. While there, he had a record of 126-61 and his teams advanced to the NAIA national tournament three times.
Crotz collegiate coaching record is 410-177. His overall record, which includes nine years in the Missouri prep ranks, is 620-226.
Crotz received his bachelor's degree in education from the University of Missouri in 1979 and his master's degree in secondary education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 1984.
Veres said AUM will soon name a committee to lead the search for a new women's basketball coach.
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