Temple University Athletics
Herman Frazier Named Associate Athletic Director
8.12.08 | General
Aug. 12, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - Herman Frazier, who has over 30 years of athletic administration experience at the NCAA Division I level, has been named Associate Athletic Director for Sports Administration at Temple University. The Philadelphia native, who most recently served as the Director of Athletics at the University of Hawai'i, replaces Joe Giunta, who left the University to become the Director of Athletics at Cabrini College.
"We are excited to be able to attract one of the top athletic administrators in the nation to join the Temple Athletics staff," Temple University Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw said. "Herman brings a wealth of experience to Temple, having led successful Division I programs, and he will be a valuable member of our athletic administrative team."
"Coming back to Philadelphia, and working with Bill Bradshaw and his athletic support staff is what attracted to me to Temple University," Frazier said. "Temple is on the verge of unprecedented athletic success and I am happy to be able to be a part of that now, and in the future."
Frazier, who began his athletic career as a multi-sport athlete at Philadelphia's Germantown High ('72), was a eight-time All-America track performer and team captain of the 1977 NCAA Champion Arizona State track team. He is most remembered as the leadoff runner for the 1976 Olympic Gold Medal-winning 4x400 relay team. He also captured the bronze medal at the 1976 Olympiad held in Montreal.
The 52-year-old Frazier embarked on his athletic administration career immediately upon graduation, joining the Sun Devil staff as an assistant director of events and facilities in 1977. His 23 years on the ASU athletic staff would see him move up the ranks serving as Director of Athletics Facilities, Assistant Director of Operations, Associate Director of Athletics and Senior Associate Athletics Director for Business Operations.
Frazier left Arizona State in 2000 to become the Director of Athletics at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. In his two-year stint at UAB, he established new internal controls for athletic administration and academics and left his imprint on the program with the hiring of Mike Anderson as men's basketball coach. Anderson would go on to guide the Blazers to the Sweet 16 of the 2004 NCAA Tournament.
Frazier was named the Director of Athletics at the University of Hawai'i in 2002 and in his six years at UH, he guided Warrior athletics to unparalleled success with the football team earning a spot in the 2008 Sugar Bowl following an unbeaten regular season. At Hawai'i, he managed an athletics budget that grew from $16 million in his first year to $21 million in 2007-08, his final year. He also oversaw the construction of the UH Tennis Complex, completed in 2005.
His heralded administrative career has included many national honors. In 2001, he was the recipient of the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award which recognizes former student-athletes who have distinguished themselves upon completion of their collegiate athletic careers. Sports Illustrated tabbed him as one of the 101 most influential minorities in sports in 2003. He earned the distinction as one of the Top 50 Most Powerful Blacks in Sports in the March 2005 issue of Black Enterprise. In 2006 the NCAA honored him as one of the "100 Most Influential Student-Athletes," who have made a significant impact or major contribution to society.
Frazier also served as the Vice President of the United States Olympic Committee from 1996 through 2004.
