Colgate Athletic Director Nikki Moore Leaving to Take AD position at Cornell

[Go...gate]

Just announced today.

Moore has been Colgate's AD since 2018.

Strange to have an administrator leave mid-year.

[MR. CHICKEN]

Just announced today.

Moore has been Colgate's AD since 2018.

Strange to have an administrator leave mid-year.


....COACH ARCHER.......NOW ON NATION'S....ENDANGERED LIST..........BRAWK!

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Wow! I did not see this coming! Seems like she was hell bent on ending up at an Ivy League institution. Good luck.....

[Go Green]

Wow! I did not see this coming! Seems like she was hell bent on ending up at an Ivy League institution. Good luck.....

Yes, I don't really view Cornell as that much (if any) as a step up from Colgate. Maybe if she were an alum--but she's not.

[ngineer]

Yes. Surprising move was well as the timing. Going to the 'dark side' no less! Now, she has to learn about wrestling..something 'gate dropped over 30 years ago.

[Gate83]

While the timing is surprising, Nicki leaving is not. Her handling of Hunt's dismissal & Dakosty's hiring (the interim tag, promise of a national search, then quickly removing the interim without doing the search) cost her a lot of good will. She was in the running for the Wisconsin job a year ago, this isn't the first time she's looked around. Her husband was never particularly happy in Hamilton, he's a sports psychologist used to a much bigger pond... which he'll have in Ithaca.

Perception among the alumni base is she's more invested in her career and DEI issues versus actually running the department (for example, she got rid of the long time SID over a year ago and never replaced him... we haven't had a football program at the games in two years). Personally I think she's a nice person and hope she'll be a better fit at Cornell than she was here.

[KPSUL]

Colgate to Cornell. What's the difference? Most people get the two elite upstate NY schools mixed up anyway.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

While the timing is surprising, Nicki leaving is not. Her handling of Hunt's dismissal & Dakosty's hiring (the interim tag, promise of a national search, then quickly removing the interim without doing the search) cost her a lot of good will. She was in the running for the Wisconsin job a year ago, this isn't the first time she's looked around. Her husband was never particularly happy in Hamilton, he's a sports psychologist used to a much bigger pond... which he'll have in Ithaca.

Perception among the alumni base is she's more invested in her career and DEI issues versus actually running the department (for example, she got rid of the long time SID over a year ago and never replaced him... we haven't had a football program at the games in two years). Personally I think she's a nice person and hope she'll be a better fit at Cornell than she was here.

Excellent post!

You are absolutely correct about Moore's primary focus as an AD; it was to advance research in her areas of interest more so than ensuring Colgate sports prospered. Moore's time at Oklahoma was of great interest to me given my own interest in developing systems/structures which allow student athletes to kick butt in fall facets of their college experience. My curiosity had little to do with the Raiders on-field success due to the fact outside of men's basketball the commitment/decision making processes when it came to putting the right people in the right place seemed to be lacking. Also, the DEI crusade is not high on my priority list in its 2022 form. I have long taken a great interest in admission practices at PL/NESCAC/IL institutions.

I believe Moore will fit in quite well in Ithaca. Hopefully Colgate pursues an AD first and not a career academist using the AD position as a platform to facilitate her personal interests.

The topic of what an AD's role is at a PL institution came up on the Lehigh board recently given Sterrett's future.

[ngineer]

While the timing is surprising, Nicki leaving is not. Her handling of Hunt's dismissal & Dakosty's hiring (the interim tag, promise of a national search, then quickly removing the interim without doing the search) cost her a lot of good will. She was in the running for the Wisconsin job a year ago, this isn't the first time she's looked around. Her husband was never particularly happy in Hamilton, he's a sports psychologist used to a much bigger pond... which he'll have in Ithaca.

Perception among the alumni base is she's more invested in her career and DEI issues versus actually running the department (for example, she got rid of the long time SID over a year ago and never replaced him... we haven't had a football program at the games in two years). Personally I think she's a nice person and hope she'll be a better fit at Cornell than she was here.

A lot more 'shrink' potential in Ithaca!!xsmiley_wix

[Go...gate]

There have been complaints about the failure to hire an SID, among other things.

One source advised that she was also in some hot water because she did not see or regard Men's Ice Hockey as what she considered a "first tier" sport, even though it has been strong for many years and a new rink was just built. That does not work at Colgate.

Moore appeared to be a step down from Vicki Chun and Mark Murphy.

[bulldog10jw]

Moore appeared to be a step down from Vicki Chun and Mark Murphy.

On the other hand, I haven't heard much, or anything to be truthful, positive from fans and alums about Vicki's Yale tenure so far.

[Go...gate]

On the other hand, I haven't heard much, or anything to be truthful, positive from fans and alums about Vicki's Yale tenure so far.

Didn't realize that. Vicki seemed to be well-regarded at Colgate.

As long as David Roach does not replace Moore, we should be all right.

[Bill]

What I find interesting about all the chatter I see here, and from my family of Colgate sport-playing alumni (dating back to the 60's) - who has really been doing the hiring of the AD's recently? Has there been some unseen influential donor pulling the strings? They all LOVED Mark Murphy for obvious reasons, but after that, things got progressively more "blah".

[Pards Rule]

While the timing is surprising, Nicki leaving is not. Her handling of Hunt's dismissal & Dakosty's hiring (the interim tag, promise of a national search, then quickly removing the interim without doing the search) cost her a lot of good will. She was in the running for the Wisconsin job a year ago, this isn't the first time she's looked around. Her husband was never particularly happy in Hamilton, he's a sports psychologist used to a much bigger pond... which he'll have in Ithaca.

Perception among the alumni base is she's more invested in her career and DEI issues versus actually running the department (for example, she got rid of the long time SID over a year ago and never replaced him... we haven't had a football program at the games in two years). Personally I think she's a nice person and hope she'll be a better fit at Cornell than she was here.

Will we ever learn the Hunt story?

[Gate83]

What I find interesting about all the chatter I see here, and from my family of Colgate sport-playing alumni (dating back to the 60's) - who has really been doing the hiring of the AD's recently? Has there been some unseen influential donor pulling the strings? They all LOVED Mark Murphy for obvious reasons, but after that, things got progressively more "blah".

There's no unseen hand as far as I can tell, just the normal push/pull between presidents with varying degrees of interest in athletics and the Board which of course has folks invested in athletics. What I've heard most often around this next hire is the desire to get another alum into the job as Murphy & Chun are remembered much more fondly than Roach (who was truly disliked) and Nicki (who was never going to be a long term answer).

[Doc QB]

Will we ever learn the Hunt story?
He’s current OC at Franklin and Marshall.
His story remains elusive.

[fillfittonfield]

Random comment that I’ve shared previously but think it might be relevant to share again now.

The ESPN+ productions of the home Colgate football games this year were atrocious. Truly an embarrassment.

I am a reasonable and understanding person. If it happened once, I’d give Colgate a pass. But the broadcasts were embarrassing all season. I was shocked the AD would permit this to occur game after game. I know Colgate had a tough year, but it is a proud program steeped in history and success. The productions weren’t a reflection of the Colgate I know and respect.

Something like this ultimately falls on the shoulders of the AD.

[Pards Rule]

He’s current OC at Franklin and Marshall.
His story remains elusive.

Ironically Troxell was longtime HC at F&M Diplomats. I bumped into a lady wearing a Colgate shirt at the Wawa in Beach Haven Terrace NJ the summer after and I asked her after she said her son plays for Colgate and she says the team has no clue.

[bulldog10jw]

Random comment that I’ve shared previously but think it might be relevant to share again now.

The ESPN+ productions of the home Colgate football games this year were atrocious. Truly an embarrassment.

I am a reasonable and understanding person. If it happened once, I’d give Colgate a pass. But the broadcasts were embarrassing all season. I was shocked the AD would permit this to occur game after game. I know Colgate had a tough year, but it is a proud program steeped in history and success. The productions weren’t a reflection of the Colgate I know and respect.

Something like this ultimately falls on the shoulders of the AD.

Yale had one game in the rain where the production on ESPN+ was horrible. No audio and the video kept buffering.

I almost switched over to radio then remembered that Vicki had gotten rid of Yale's long time radio broadcast partner.

[Go...gate]

Random comment that I’ve shared previously but think it might be relevant to share again now.

The ESPN+ productions of the home Colgate football games this year were atrocious. Truly an embarrassment.

I am a reasonable and understanding person. If it happened once, I’d give Colgate a pass. But the broadcasts were embarrassing all season. I was shocked the AD would permit this to occur game after game. I know Colgate had a tough year, but it is a proud program steeped in history and success. The productions weren’t a reflection of the Colgate I know and respect.

Something like this ultimately falls on the shoulders of the AD.

Those of us who remember the work of the beloved Bob Cornell were sick to our stomachs.

And yes, the Hunt situation is truly a mystery. Perplexing in the extreme.