CLEVELAND — Cleveland State University has announced that Scott Garrett, who has served as the school's athletic director since 2019, is departing to take a position in the athletic department at Wake Forest University.
Garrett, who also held the title of vice president at CSU, will become Wake Forest's deputy athletics director for administration. He will finish his time at Cleveland State on Jan. 15. Kelsie Gory Harkey, currently CSU's deputy athletics director for student-athlete experience, will become interim athletics director while the search for a permanent successor begins.
"Over nearly five years serving Cleveland State University and leading our athletics program, we have strived to deliver a transformative experience for Vikings student-athletes. I am proud of how we delivered on this mission in so many ways,” said Garrett in a statement. "I look forward to embarking on this new professional challenge with Wake Forest University and will be rooting for the continued success of CSU Athletics.”
Under Garrett's leadership, Cleveland State athletics experienced plenty of success, winning a total of nine team league championships, 18 individual league titles, 32 major postseason awards, and 107 all-league selections.
In the classroom, Cleveland State's student-athletes registered a cumulative GPA of above 3.0 in every semester during Garrett's tenure. Over 100 Viking student-athletes have earned league all-academic awards over the past three years.
The Viking men's and women's basketball teams both flourished during Garrett's years at the helm of the athletic deprartment. His hiring of Dennis Gates as head men's basketball coach in 2019 was the start of a renaissance for the Vikings, leading to back-to-back Horizon League regular season championships and three consecutive trips to the postseason. Gates' departure to the University of Missouri in 2022 led to Garrett's hiring of Daniyal Robinson as the program's next coach. The Vikings were 21-14 in Robinson's first season.
During Garrett's tenure, attendance for men's basketball game at the Wolstein Center more than doubled.
The women's basketball team is coming off of a Horizon League tournament title in 2023, leading to only the third NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. CSU also captured the Women's Basketball Invitational crown in 2021.
“It has been my pleasure to work with Scott Garrett as a valued member of the senior leadership team,” said Cleveland State President Dr. Laura Bloomberg. “The longer I know Scott, the more I grow to respect him as a leader, and value him as a colleague. I can say without hesitation that the student-athletes, coaches, and staff members who have worked with and for him here at CSU have all benefitted personally and professionally from the experience. He will be missed by all of us.”
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