Driving onto the FGCU campus, Brian Barrio saw a billboard that said “Southwest Florida’s home team.”
He said he took that to heart.
“That summarizes what we need to be,” Barrio said.
The Barrio era of FGCU athletics officially began with an introductory press conference on Monday, July 20.
FGCU hired Barrio to become the school’s athletic director on July 2. He replaced Colin Hargis, who stepped down May 1 after two years at FGCU to take the athletic director position at North Carolina State.
Kitty Green, FGCU’s Vice President for Advancement, chaired the search panel and described the process, which began in April and narrowed the field to four finalists.
“After meeting with all the prospective candidates for director of athletics, Brian Barrio stood out,” Green said.
“Brian has robust experience in compliance, revenue generation and fan engagement. He has led championship-caliber departments and he knows what it takes to support student athletes, coaches and staff.”
Barrio is the fourth full-time AD in FGCU history, following Carl McAloose, Ken Kavanagh, and Hargis. Merrily Dean Baker helped start the program as interim AD from 1998 to 2000, and Lauren Leister served as interim AD after Hargis’ departure.
“It is not one of those situations where you’re coming in and trying to fix something,” Barrio said. “There’s a foundation here, a really excellent foundation. I also believe that FGCU athletics’ greatest days are ahead of it.”
Barrio named his top priorities which included winning championships, graduating student athletes and connecting with the community.
He also stressed the importance of revenue share to allow FGCU teams to better compete at the top of the Atlantic Sun Conference.
“It’s an opportunity, not just a challenge,” Barrio said. “We’re not at the very bottom, but we’re not at the top either. We got to get closer to the top in revenue share if we’re going to be successful.
Barrio drew the parallel from his previous athletic director job at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County where the men’s basketball team had a similar NCAA tournament Cinderella breakthrough to FGCU’s Dunk City team that reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2013.
“Everybody knows those letters on your shirt now because of what happened a long time ago, but we can’t just have that be up on a shelf gathering dust. It’s a book — we got to write the next chapter, and so I think that’s one thing I learned is you’ve got to turn the page and move to the next chapter and keep writing that book. Otherwise, people forget fast.”
Barrio acknowledged the unstable time for college athletics but said he believed that FGCU was the right choice for him because the athletics program is uniquely positioned to succeed.
“Having been at other schools in this environment, this is a community, a school and really an area that is growing explosively when a lot of the rest of high education is in a decline,” he said. “It’s really exciting to come to a place that’s got a growth mindset where people are optimistic and with good reason.
“FGCU athletics is going to get better. That’s what we’re going to do. It’s a choice and we’re making it, and I can’t wait to get to work with all these folks here.”
Brian Barrio’s career file
2024-26, Advantage Intercollegiate Athletics, LLC, Founder/Managing Director
2020-24, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Director of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation
2018-20, Central Connecticut State University, Director of Athletics
2015-18, University of Nevada, Reno, Sr. Associate Director of Athletics for Intercollegiate Services
2015, Pepperdine University, Associate Director of Athletics for Administration
2011-15, Pepperdine University, Associate Director of Athletics for Student Services/Compliance
2010-11, America East Conference, Associate Commissioner/Chief of Staff
2008-10, America East Conference, Associate Commissioner for Compliance
2006-08, University of Southern California, Director of Compliance
2005-06, The Ivy League, Compliance Coordinator
2004, Ohio State University, Athletics Intern
2003, Central Connecticut State University, Athletics Intern
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: New top Eagle as Brian Barrio takes over as FGCU athletic director
Reporting by Dustin B Levy, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dustin B Levy, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
