March 24, 2006
ORLANDO - In the wake of the announcement Friday by SMU that Steve Orsini has accepted an offer to become that school's director of athletics, UCF President John Hitt stated that a search committee to replace Orsini at UCF would be formed next week and that a national search would commence with the goal of replacing Orsini by early summer.
"Steve Orsini has served UCF with passion, professionalism, and excellence for the past three years," Hitt said. "He will leave behind an impressive list of accomplishments, much-improved athletics facilities, and many good friends, Martha and me among them. We wish Steve, Amy, and Angela every success, satisfaction, and happiness as they begin a new chapter in their lives in Dallas. SMU is getting a truly first-rate athletics director."
Orsini began his tenure as the director of athletics at UCF in June of 2002. Since that time he has helped UCF athletics grow and flourish. He was instrumental in UCF's push for all-sports membership in the same conference, which resulted in an invitation to Conference USA. He was also responsible for hiring former Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year honoree George O'Leary to lead the football program.
He was instrumental in the change of the athletics department in July of 2003 to a direct support organization that was incorporated as the UCF Athletics Association, and has helped grow the budget by 60 percent since his arrival.
Major facility renovation and new construction projects are also a hallmark of his tenure. The Wayne Densch Sports Center, the Nicholson Fieldhouse, a softball stadium, convocation center and on-campus football stadium are just some of the facilities that have been completed or are in the process of being constructed.
He is slated to begin work at his new post June 1.