Dan Crowley, who currently serves as Senior Associate Director of Athletics, will assume the role of interim Director of Athletics effective Dec. 3, 2021.
 
Crowley steps into the role following the announcement Friday that Tim Leonard, Director of Athletics, will be leaving his position at TU effective December 3 to pursue other opportunities. Leonard joined TU in August 2013 after serving as senior associate athletic director for external affairs at Southern Methodist University, bringing more than 20 years of intercollegiate athletics experience to TU.
 
In a message to campus Friday, TU President Kim Schatzel said, "I greatly appreciate Tim's contributions to Towson University and TU Athletics. I know that you join me in thanking him for his impressive leadership over the past 8 years, and wishing all the best to Tim and his wife, Monica."
 
Crowley will serve as the interim AD while a national search begins for the next TU director of athletics.
 
After a professional football career at quarterback that spanned eight seasons in the Canadian Football League and two in the Italian Football Federation followed by several years as a successful business entrepreneur, Dan Crowley '95 returned to his alma mater where he is serving as Towson University's Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Development, overseeing all of the department's fundraising initiatives for its 19-sport program.

As the Chief Development Officer for Towson athletics Dan is responsible for the supervision and direction of the Tiger Athletic Fund (TAF) with his focus on major gift work among the University's 150,000-plus alumni and friends in Maryland and across the United States. He directly manages over 150 personal prospects, soliciting gifts at the annual, major ($10k+), planned and capital levels. His track record at Towson for closing major, planned and capital gifts is impressive, and includes a record number of five and six figure contributions.
 
That search for the next director of athletics will be co-chaired by Barry Gossett and Fran Soistman. Barry Gossett is the former Vice Chair of the University Board of Regents, where he chaired the Intercollegiate Athletic Committee, and currently serves on the Board of the University System of Maryland Foundation. Fran Soistman is the former chair of Towson University's Board of Visitors, current co-chair of RISE, the Campaign for Towson University, and a 1979 alumnus. More details regarding the search committee and process will be provided in the weeks ahead.
 
During Leonard's tenure, Tigers teams have won conference titles in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) or Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), including women's basketball, women's indoor track, men's lacrosse, women's lacrosse, women's volleyball and swimming and diving; and, on a national scale, Tigers football and men's lacrosse teams each made NCAA National Championship appearances. 
 
The Department of Athletics also achieved significant milestones in student-athlete community service as well as diversity and inclusion under Leonard's leadership, including the 2018-19 NCAA National Championship for the most community service hours by a Division I school, as well as the NCAA and Minority Opportunities Athletic Association 2021 Award for Diversity and Inclusion. Leonard's outstanding dedication and support to student-athlete academic success resulted in TU Athletics consistently achieving the highest Graduation Success Rate (GSR) among Division I universities within the University System of Maryland.
 
Additionally, TU facilities have realized historic investment and improvement under Leonard's guidance, including, but not limited to, the construction of the South Campus project, which is home to Tiger Stadium (women's lacrosse and soccer), the Tiger Softball Stadium and the TU Field Hockey Complex. Further, Johnny Unitas Stadium, SECU Arena, and John B. Schuerholz Park saw major upgrades to make TU home to one of the premier mid-major athletic complexes in the nation.
 
Schatzel, in the message to campus, said she extended "our very best wishes to Tim and our appreciation for all he has done to lift up TU Athletics to its position of respect and excellence within Division 1 intercollegiate athletics."

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A search committee, co-chaired by Barry Gossett and Fran Soistman, has been formed. Mr. Gossett is the former Vice Chair of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, where he chaired the Intercollegiate Athletic Committee, and currently serves on the Board of the University System of Maryland Foundation. Mr. Soistman is the CEO of eHealth, the former chair of Towson University's Board of Visitors, current co-chair of RISE, the Campaign for Towson University, and a 1979 alumnus.
 
The committee also includes: 
 
Mr. Jermon Bushrod '07 — President and Founder, Visualize and Rize Foundation; Pro Scouting Assistant, New Orleans Saints; former student-athlete
Dr. Chris Cain — Chair, Dept. of English; Faculty Athletics Representative
Dr. Matt Chambers — Associate Provost for Administration and Finance 
Mr. Brian DeFilippis — Vice President, University Advancement
Mr. Brendan Farrar — President, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
Mr. Todd Feuerman '87 — Director, Audit and Accounting, Ellin & Tucker; former student-athlete; TU Board of Visitors
Mr. Geoff Gordon — Senior Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Achievement
Dr. Vernon Hurte — Vice President, Student Affairs
Ms. Kathleen McQuiggan '90 — Partner, Artemis Financial Advisors; former student-athlete
Mr. Don Metil — Head Coach, Women's Volleyball
Ms. Diane Richardson — Head Coach, Women's Basketball
Mr. Antwaine Smith — Senior Assistant Athletic Director for the Total Tiger Program
Mr. John Yingling '71 — Chairman, Crawford & Yingling Insurance and Risk Management; former student-athlete
 
Collegiate Sports Associates (CSA), a nationally recognized search firm that specializes in supporting universities in recruiting individuals for key leadership positions in collegiate athletics, will be supporting this national search. Todd Turner, CSA founder and president, will lead the project for TU. Plans are to complete the search in the February-to-March timeframe.