Knowing The Athlete's Heart

A conversation with new athletics chief Lisa Love
By Bill Konigsberg

Passion, motivation, spark. These are three of the attributes that Lisa Love brings to the position of ASU’s new vice president for athletics. Love took over July 1 from Christine Wilkinson, who had been serving as interim athletic director since April 8, when former athletic director Gene Smith left the university for a similar post at The Ohio State University.
Love comes to ASU from Pac-10 rival University of Southern California, where she served as the senior associate athletics director for the past three years. Prior to that, Love was the head volleyball coach at USC. She also served two stints (1992-1993 and 2001-2002) as vice president of the Pac-10 Conference.
Though the transition is a hectic time to say the least, Love found the time to chat with us about her goals and her vision for the athletic department.

What are some of your goals for the ASU Athletic Department?
Simply stated, my goal is to lead a model department that cares deeply about the success and development of Sun Devil student athletes, one that follows the rules, and one that wins national titles.

How does it feel to be switching allegiances within the Pac-10?
Actually since it’s within the Pac-10, it’s a smoother transition, because I’m not a complete stranger to ASU. I know the athletic department already, the teams and coaches, many of the athletes. That lends itself to a faster learning curve. It’s the nature of athletics, to compete. If you wind up with another of those teams, so be it.

How difficult will the transition be for you to move from a private university to a public one?
That remains to be seen. The general concept is that there may be more bureaucratic steps in a public university than in a private one, but I won’t know all of this until I try it on for size. In fact, there are some skills you learn in a private university that lend themselves to any environment. One is the critical skill of fund raising, of donor relations. All things people skills, if you will. Those things make private education successful. My experience has taught me about relationship building and entrepreneurship. If your university is tuition driven, building relationships and maintaining them are critical. In that regard, my transition from a private school should be beneficial to ASU.

How does your coaching background impact who you are and what you bring to the position?
It has helped me learn to evaluate talent, and it helps me with relationships with athletic coaches, who are some of the most important people in the department.

I’ve often referred to head coaches as “master teachers.” I have tremendously high regard for the impact a master teacher has on the life of a young person. My understanding of what it’s like to be a coach synchronizes well with my high regard for their impact on the program. I respect it, I understand it and I can support it well. I also know the importance of nurturing outstanding coaching talent.

At USC you were active in dealing with issues of gender equity and civil rights in its athletic department. Can you discuss the impact of the issues on sports and how important those issues are to you?
Thirteen years ago when I joined the management team at USC, we needed to do a tremendous amount of work to comply with Title IX. That’s the federal statute mandating equitable treatment in athletics. It’s not that we were under the gun — there was no external pressure — it was just something that needed to happen. Constructing a plan for adding sports while not detracting from a very proud Olympic men’s sports program was a big part of my day in the early ‘90s. A private education is very expensive, and the goal was not to take away but rather to add women’s opportunities. And we did it.

How important is fund raising in your vision of bringing ASU to the next level?
It is very important. I hate to over-simplify, but with financing and winning, winning and financing, it’s a case of what comes first, the chicken or the egg. They are inextricably linked. Fund raising has to be a key part of the success of this program.

To operate at the big-time elite level that I believe is in our future, we have to have partners in the ASU community, and that means alumni, as well as friends and partners throughout this thriving area.

What role will alumni play in your vision of ASU’s athletic department? How do you get and keep alumni involved?
It’s not just a matter of fund raising. Alumni make a world of difference by attending events, being in the stands, supporting our Sun Devils. They also can stay engaged by being part of a supportive and active community. Alumni are critical for taking care of other alumni, that “Sun Devil for Life” concept; you’re linked by the pitchfork.

A recent academic progress report showed that unless there is academic improvement, ASU might assess some scholarship penalties in sports such as football, baseball, and men’s basketball. How can the department shore up lagging academic performance by some athletes?
I think it’s very important to note the tremendous academic improvement under [associate athletic director] Sandy Hatfield Clubb. There’s no question that we will continue to have an academic progress report expert on staff to look at that formula. His name is Jean Boyd [Jean is the associate athletic director for student-athlete development]. (Sandy and Jean) have done outstanding work.

Graduation rates for ASU student-athletes are currently second in the Pac-10 Conference and we match up well with other Pac-10 schools in all-academic performance. The APR provides challenges but we will provide necessary resources to get it done.

How does the Loren Wade situation and the ensuing
investigation impact your feelings about the program that you will be heading?
It’s an unfortunate situation, but it does not deter me in the slightest. I look forward to reading Professor Myles Lynk’s report. (See related story under university news.)

How does your experience as a student athlete play into your role?
It’s just an empathetic frame of reference I suppose, an understanding of what it’s like to be that committed and knowing that what you’re doing sets the stage for the rest of your life, athletically and academically. I understand the demands, understand the pressure and understand the dedication. I know an athlete’s heart.

Phoenix freelance writer Bill Konigsberg is currently enrolled in the university's creative writing M.F.A. program.

To provide feedback on this article, click here.

Lisa Love

Derek Hagan has aspirations of playing in the NFL