Jon Hart promoted to DWU Athletic Director

MITCHELL, S.D. – The next athletic director at Dakota Wesleyan University was announced by President Amy Novak at special press conference Wednesday at the Sherman Center.

Following the announcement of the pending resignation of Curt Hart, who has served as athletic director at DWU for eight years, Novak announced the promotion of associate athletic director Jon Hart, who will take over effective June 1.

"I am extremely humbled, honored and excited to be named the new athletic director at DWU," Hart said. "I want to thank President Amy Novak, the entire President's Council and our Board of Trustees for their support and confidence in me to take on this role. Most importantly, I want to thank our former Athletic Director, my mentor, and father, Curt, who has transformed and guided this department to prominence. I look forward to building on the foundation he has set for our coaches and student athletes."

Hart has served as associate athletic director for four years, performing numerous duties within the department, including the reviewing of budgets, financial aid tracking, letters of intent, fundraising and development, game-day management, compliance, student-athlete conflict, travel and scheduling.

"Jon has earned a high level of respect from coaches, student athletes, staff at DWU, and the athletic community of Mitchell and the GPAC athletic conference," President Novak said. "His commitment to fostering exceptional experiences for athletes that recognizes the importance of academics, as well as the life skills that can be learned in the athletic environment, fit the aspirations we have for our student-athletes.  We know sports are a vehicle for developing students who value leadership, teamwork, persistence and collaboration. Jon's work with compliance, budgeting, planning, and fundraising have positioned him well for this transition to the role of athletic director at DWU."

The Tiger athletic programs have seen unprecedented success on the on the courts and fields, as well as in the classroom over the last four years. Hart has seen the DWU football team put together most successful four-year run in program history, while the men's and women's basketball teams have returned to national prominence. The last four years have seen a jump in the number of All-Americans, All-GPAC honorees and NAIA Scholar Athletes, while all 15 DWU athletic teams received NAIA Scholar Team recognition in 2014-15, as the foundation has been put in place for a bright future.

Fundraising for the DWU athletic department has taken leap forward with Hart in a leadership role. Annually, Dakota Wesleyan raises between $400,000 and $500,000 for athletics with the help of Hart's close work with the DWU TeamMakers, Corporate Sponsors and individual team fundraisers.

"We are very fortunate to be able to have Jon in place and ready to step in following Curt," DWU men's basketball head coach Matt Wilber said. "I am excited to be able to continue to work with him and that we will continue to have such a qualified, knowledgeable person advocating for and leading our athletic department. He will continue to be a great leader for our coaching staff and a completely involved supporter of our student athletes."

In February 2016, the Tigers opened a new home with the dedication of the new $10.7 million DWU/Avera Sports and Wellness Complex. Hart helped make the project possible with his work in the years leading up to the groundbreaking and the day-to-day effort during the construction. Hart also started the DWU leadership program in 2014, which is modeled after a similar initiative implemented at Dartmouth College. The program is designed to bring athletes from all sports together to create a stronger college experience for all Tigers.

The Alexandria, S.D., native graduated from DWU in 2011 with a degree in sports management and earned his master's degree from the school in educational policy and administration while working as a graduate assistant for the athletic department in 2012. Hart is a former Tiger football and baseball player, while also serving as a member of the leadership teams for the Kelley Center for Entrepreneurship and Students in Free Enterprise during his years as a student.

"There's no one who cares more about this school and this department in particular," Hart said. "I couldn't be more excited about what the future holds for DWU Athletics."