John Calipari approves of San Jose State’s new AD
SAN JOSE, Calif. (BVM) – In what has been a tough month for San Jose State athletics, the university has found its 15th director of athletics. San Jose State University president Mary Papazian officially named Jeffrey Konya as the successor to former athletics director Marie Tutie.
“Jeff brings over two decades of leadership and award-winning collegiate athletics administrator experience,” Papazian said in a press release. “We are confident that Jeff’s commitment to student success, integrity, and innovation will continue to increase our students’ academic accomplishments, cement an inclusive and equitable culture, and position Spartan Athletics as a leading department known for creativity and excellence.”
Konya joins SJSU from Northeastern University in Boston where he was a two-time Under Armour NACDA Athletics Director of the Year (2017-17, 2020-21), becoming one of just four athletic directors in DI-AAA in the history of the award to earn it twice in a four-year span. Prior to then, Konya was the athletic director at Oakland University where he also served as chair of the Horizon League Executive Council and member of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee.
Before his time as athletic director at California State University, Bakersfield, Konya spent time in varying roles at SMU, South Dakota, Bucknell, UTSA and Memphis. The latter is where Konya worked with current Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari, who was nothing but complimentary of the Spartans’ new leader.
“I have worked with and known Jeff for many, many years,” Calipari said in a press release. “I can tell you he will instantaneously make any athletics program better in the way he thinks, acts and leads. The coaches will love him. This is a fantastic hire for the Spartans.”
Konya’s hiring comes less than a month after Tuite stepped down and was reassigned to a new role within the university in the wake of an external investigation into sexual misconduct by the athletic department’s former director of sports medicine.
San Jose State athletics will enter into a new era under the leadership of Konya.
“I am incredibly honored to be selected to lead the Spartans. I want to express my sincere appreciation to President Papazian, the SJSU search committee, and TurnkeyZRG for being given this wonderful opportunity,” Konya said in a press release. “I am truly inspired by President Papazian’s vision for San José State University. I am excited by the role athletics can play in furthering that vision.”