Former UNC Wilmington basketball player Martin Jarmond was named Thursday as the new athletic director at Boston College. Jarmond joins the Eagles from Ohio State, where he served as the chief of staff to AD Gene Smith and directed the day-to-day operations of a program consisting of nearly 1,100 athletes in 36 Division I sports and a budget of $170 million. He is also an accomplished fundraiser who also has experience as an assistant athletic director at Michigan State. Just this week, Jarmond was named by Sports Business Daily Journal as one its prestigious Forty Under 40. “His work as deputy director of athletics at Ohio State and at Michigan State have given him not only appreciation of the opportunities and challenges of intercollegiate athletics, but also experience in how to respond effectively to them,” BC President Father William P. Leahy said in a statement. “He is a person with high energy, infectious enthusiasm, and an impressive ability to engage with people and issues.” Jarmond inherits an athletic program that sponsors 31 varsity sports and boasts one of the nation’s best graduation rates. While some of the Eagles’ teams have been successful on the national level — particularly men’s and women’s ice hockey — they have lagged behind in recent years in the most high-profile sports, football and men’s basketball. As a native of North Carolina who grew up in Fayetteville watching ACC basketball, Jarmond said he’s looking forward to working at a school affiliated with the conference. “The opportunity to serve at a top-notch academic institution in the ACC is a dream come true for me,” he said. “I am passionate about helping young people develop and integrate the intellectual, athletic, social and spiritual components of their lives.” Jarmond knows what he’s talking about when it comes to that balancing act. He came to UNCW as a walkon and eventually worked his way into the starting lineup and was twice named team captain. A 5-foot-9 point guard, he was a key contributor on the Seahawks’ first ever NCAA tournament team in 2000. In the classroom, Jarmond earned All-CAA Academic honors while earning a degree in communications with a minor in leadership studies. He also has postgraduate degrees in business and sports administration from Ohio University. At 37, he is the youngest athletic director in the nation at a Power 5 school. “Martin’s breadth of experience and commitment to students and coaches is extraordinary,” North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham said. “As a former student-athlete, he has an incredible grasp of the student experience and the coaching requirements needed to succeed. He will be a tireless champion for the entire Boston College community. I am personally delighted that Martin will be joining the ACC in such a great leadership position.”
