The Kennesaw State athletics department announced Tuesday that Milton Overton will become the fourth athletic director at KSU.
Overton spent the past two years as athletic director at Florida A&M University, and the six years before that as the University of Alabama senior associate athletics director.
Overton increased FAMU’s revenue by $2 million and created $6 million in revenue and cost-saving initiatives at Alabama.
He said he wants to talk with students, faculty, staff and the community to understand what is and isn’t working before implementing any new changes to the athletics department.
“The first thing I always do is a fan survey,” Overton said. “You don’t come in and implement a plan without talking to your constituents. I would work with student government and students to see from a student perspective.”
According to Overton, KSU’s opportunity for growth was one of the primary reasons he was drawn to the university. Two of those growth areas he sees are in fan attendance and revenue.
“I value all students at Kennesaw State, and I value [their] time,” Overton said. “I want to make [their experience] fun, like an event you have to go to. Like, you have to go there, that’s the place to be!”
Overton stressed the importance of talking with members of the Kennesaw community and he said he focusses on seven pillars for a strong, healthy athletic department: Academics, performance, strength and conditioning, medical training, facilities, strong financial operation and student-athlete welfare.
“Think about it like a house,” Overton said. “No matter where you are, those seven, foundational pillars [are] what every athletic director — at least this one — will focus on all the time. That allows you to have a strong, competitive, innovative athletic department.”
He carries a mission statement wherever he goes that keeps the students at the forefront.
“Building champions in the classroom, on the field and in life — and it’s in that order,” Overton said. “I always want to keep the right priorities in front of us.”
The announcement comes after Matt Griffin served as the interim athletic director since late July after Vaughn Williams left to be the senior associate athletic director at Boston College.
While Overton sees opportunities for growth, he also comes to KSU to be closer to his two sons who live in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
