Randolph-Macon College Signs New Athletic Director
Ashland, VA
– Roger Martin, president of
Randolph-Macon College
proudly announced at a March 4, 2004 press conference that
Denis Kanach
has accepted the position of Athletic Director at R-MC. Kanach has an impressive 34-year career
and currently serves as the Senior Associate Director and Chief Operating Officer of Athletics for Georgetown University. His direct responsibilities include supervising 26 intercollegiate teams, over 100 coaches and staff as well
as intramural, instruction and recreation programs.
“Denis brings to R-MC many years of experience from a quality athletic program,” said Roger Martin, president of R-MC. “That understanding of intercollegiate athletics combined with the high standards of one of the finest academic programs in the country indicates that he will make an important contribution to R-MC athletics.”
Kanach’s diversified background at Georgetown included roles as coach, recreation director, sports administrator, construction
manager, fundraiser, ambassador to the community and chief operating officer. He has guided the
transition of their football program from Division III to I-AA and to the Patriot League and was responsible for men’s basketball home game
management and administration. While serving as a track and field coach at Georgetown, athletes set
world, American collegiate, conference and school records and many achieved All-American status. He was
also responsible for sports administration for men and women’s lacrosse and has upgraded these programs to the national level with the women’s
team advancing to the championships twice and the men’s team once. His support of the men’s golf and
field hockey programs took them to the NCAA Tournament and top 20 national rankings.
“We were fortunate to have an outstanding pool of candidates,” said Robert Holyer, dean of the college and chairman of the athletic director search committee. “This committee believes that Denis will provide the type of leadership and vision that will take our athletic program to the next level. He understands the
Division III philosophy and the value that athletics makes to the overall educational mission of a college. We
Kanach will lead an athletic program at Randolph-Macon that includes 16 men’s and women’s varsity teams, involves more than 300 students, more than one-fourth of the college’s student body and has a legacy of success including the outstanding achievements of the men’s basketball team, currently ranked #2 in the NCAA Division III South Region poll and qualifying for the NCAA tournament, the women’s basketball team which finished this season with a 20-8 overall record and advanced to the ODAC championship game, and the women’s swimming team which finished 2nd in the Atlantic States/ODAC championships and had a swimmer qualify for the NCAA championships.
“ It is important to understand the competitiveness of an athletic program within the context of the educational mission of
the college,” said Kanach. “It is my hope to be able to challenge our students outside the classroom,
the same way they are challenged inside the classroom and to be as good as they can be.”
Kanach continued, “Randolph-Macon is in a unique position of capitalizing on its location between Washington and Richmond, drawing a diverse and talented student body locally, as well as beyond those cities. Dr. Martin and Dean Holyer have set us up for success, now it is up to the staff to follow their leadership.”
Prior to joining Georgetown University, Kanach worked as a business education teacher and head cross country and track coach for his alma mater, Roselle Catholic High School. A 1969 graduate of Manhattan College with a degree in marketing/management, Kanach and his wife Terry have four sons, Frank, Jesse, Dan, Michael and two grandchildren, Camille and Duncan.
“I have spent a great deal of my career starting, resurrecting and building programs. My strength is my experience as problem solver and my passion for teaching. I see the future of R-MC athletics as being very bright,” stated Kanach. “My hope is to be able to provide the leadership and mentoring that will enable the programs and students to reach their full potential and promise.”
The date that Kanach will begin his new position is still tentative.