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Reported Director of Athletics Hire Brings Exactly What Pitt Needed

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Pitt / NCAA

Pitt needed a fresh, innovative voice at the helm of the athletic department, and it appears that the Panthers found that in former Buffalo and Auburn Director of Athletics Allen Greene.

Greene, who most recently served as the senior deputy athletic director & Chief Operating Officer at Tennessee, is the type of forward-thinking hire Pitt needed to make in the new age of college athletics.

Greene has nearly two decades of experience in the industry and was lauded by Tennessee in his lone season with the Volunteers.

“Allen is a tremendous addition to our leadership team,” Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White said via the Vols’ athletics website. “Allen’s one of the most dynamic and engaging leaders I’ve been fortunate to work alongside, and I am thrilled to be able to add one of the stars of our profession and his wonderful family to Rocky Top.”

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Greene brings a history of football, finances, NIL and fundraising, which is what all Pitt fans should want to hear.

Greene has Athletic Director experience at Buffalo (2015-18) and Auburn (2018-22). He inherited a disastrous football situation at Auburn, forced to contend with ultra-vocal, influential boosters and a surprising hire that didn’t work. He will now step into a situation now that is much more secure.

What stands out during Greene’s time at Auburn is his fundraising efforts, raising $165 million for capital projects across campus — including a $92 million football performance center.

In the year prior to his time at Tennessee, Greene served as the senior deputy athletics director of external relations & business development at Ole Miss. He was also the Rebels’ COO, overseeing the department’s external operations and the football program. And he was successful in his tenure at Buffalo.

Greene spent four years at the helm of Buffalo athletics and served as the senior associate athletic director for administration and deputy director of athletics before that. He was in charge of the day-to-day operations of the athletic department during that time, as well as football and men’s and women’s basketball. The Bulls experienced a bounceback in football and men’s basketball success in the NCAA Tournament during his time at the helm.

But again, maybe most importantly, Greene was instrumental in securing donor and corporate support during his time at Buffalo, including an apparel deal with Nike. He also spearheaded a Buffalo athletics facilities master plan and led multiple capital projects, including an $18 million indoor practice facility.

Greene started his administrative career at Notre Dame, spending five years in the compliance office and two years as an athletics fundraiser. He spent time at Ole Miss following Notre Dame, where he worked in business development and fundraising.

Greene was a baseball player at Notre Dame and was selected by the New York Yankees in the 1998 MLB Draft. He graduated with a degree in finance and later received his Master’s degree in South Bend.

Pitt needed to bring in an experienced leader with a history of making money and who would completely buy into the football and men’s basketball programs. That appears to be Greene to a T.

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
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