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March 2, 2007 PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Keith S. Davidson has been named director of athletics at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), announced UMES President Thelma B. Thompson at a press conference at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center today. Davidson has served as acting director of athletics at UMES since January 2006. Previously he was associate athletic director for compliance at UMES from May 2003 until last year. "Mr. Davidson was the unanimous selection of the President's Athletic Advisory Committee following a national search," said President Thompson. "I am confident he will improve UMES athletics, guiding a program that will compete for championships in all sports in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). "Competitiveness and success on the playing field," said Thompson, "will continue to be matched in our coursework where UMES student-athletes have excelled for many years, consistently leading the MEAC in cumulative grade point average. I expect our student-athletes to be winners on the court and in the classroom." "We had many outstanding candidates," said Jesse T. Williams, Sr., chair of the President's Athletic Advisory Committee which conducted the search. "It was a fair and equitable process that resulted in a first-rate appointment. Keith Davidson is an excellent leader and administrator and I fully expect him to lead the Fighting Hawks to long overdue prominence in the MEAC." "I want to thank President Thompson for entrusting me with this responsibility," said Davidson. "It is a great opportunity for me, one I feel ready to undertake. In the past year I have had a chance to serve in an acting capacity and feel it has prepared me to be the next UMES AD. "With the support of the University, my administrators and coaches, I know we can build a successful program here in Princess Anne. I want to thank the athletic staff, coaches and the athletic advisory committee for helping the University through this interim period." During Davidson's interim tenure, the women's bowling team captured the 2006 MEAC title and made its third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. That team also earned the first All-American at the University in 20 years. Additionally, the baseball team made it to the finals of the 2006 MEAC Championships while the women's outdoor track and field team took second in the MEAC. The men's and women's indoor track and field teams recently returned from the 2007 MEAC Championships with second place finishes. The men's cross-country program also finished second last season. The 2006 season saw the volleyball team return to competitive status, finishing third in the conference. Davidson graduated from Lincoln (PA) University in 1985 with a B.A. in history. He earned his M.A. in political science in 1989 from the University of Central Oklahoma. He was coordinator of student-athlete services at the State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo, from 1991-95; assistant director of student-athlete affairs at SUNY Buffalo from1995-97; and compliance officer at Texas Southern University from 2001-03. UMES is a Division I member institution of the NCAA. It competes in six men's sports--baseball, basketball, cross country, indoor track, outdoor track and tennis; and eight women's sports--basketball, bowling, cross country, indoor track, outdoor track, softball, tennis and volleyball. Davidson succeeds Nelson Townsend, who left UMES in December 2005 to become athletic director at Florida A & M University. |
