When Belmont Abbey College began its search for a full-time athletic director, Quin Monahan had heard of the school but didn’t know too much about it.
Monahan had just finished his second year as athletic director at Savannah College of Art and Design, an NAIA school in Savannah, Ga. As Monahan looked deeper into the Abbey, he liked what he saw.
“I did my research,” said Monahan, who was associate athletic director in Savannah from 2003 to 2008 before being named athletic director there. “As I did that and spent time with the people here, I realized that a great opportunity was presenting itself to me.”
Apparently the decision-makers at the school were as impressed with Monahan as he was with the school, because on July 15, Monahan was hired as the school’s athletic director.
Monahan said what really drew him to the Abbey during his research was the philosophy that President William Thierfelder has implemented, returning “excellence and virtue” to athletics.
“There’s not always substance behind mission statements, Monahan said. “What drew me as much as anything was the commitment that we can really affect change and provide an opportunity for our student-athletes to be a part of that change.”
There are challenges in the job as there are in any athletic department. Two programs, golf and tennis, do not currently have home sites to use for practice or play. Monahan and a search committee must look for a men’s and women’s golf coach to replace Jim Haughey, who resigned after leading both programs to Conference Carolinas titles and national rankings last season.
And coaching turnover is another issue. Of the 13 coaches at the Abbey, only four coaches have been at the school for more than four years.
But Monahan doesn’t believe that the coaching issue is really a problem.
“I’m working with a terrific staff who works hard, and I look forward to spending time with them. As far as the turnover is concerned, I’m not worried. There’s been a bit of turnover at the A.D. position (Monahan is the fourth athletic director since 2006), and I think that once there is stability there … we’ll stem the tide with the coaches.”
And while the first month on the job has been “great,” he said, things are about to get very busy. Athletes for volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer reported Saturday. Classes at the Abbey begin Aug. 24.
“I can’t wait for the athletes to get here because they breathe life to campus. We’re going to set a standard and then try to uphold that standard. I think this is an ideal place.