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BERLO HEADING TO NCAA DIVISION I DENVER AS NEXT VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ATHLETICS

The University of Denver announced the hiring of the University of Minnesota Duluth athletic director Josh Berlo as their next Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Ritchie Center Operations.
 
"My family is honored to be joining the prestigious University of Denver and its exceptional academic and athletic traditions," Berlo said. "DU offers a world-class experience for our student-athletes, coaches and staff, and I look forward to contributing to that experience as well as the overall institutional mission." 
 
Berlo came to UMD in 2013 from the University of Notre Dame after a 13 year tenure and has since led the Bulldogs to greater levels of excellence that include multiple national and conference championships, record setting academic achievements, significant facility enhancements, enhanced marketing and fan engagement as well as a strategic focus on the student-athlete experience. 
 
"I am sad for UMD, but proud of Josh Berlo as he becomes the next Vice Chancellor for Athletics at the University of Denver," said UMD Chancellor Dr. Lendley Black. "Josh has done an incredible job as UMD's AD over the past nine years. He leaves our Athletics programs in great shape, with a solid foundation on which to build further. UMD Athletics is on an impressive trajectory of academic and competitive excellence. I thank Josh for his outstanding service to UMD and to the Duluth community. We will miss him."
 
Since his arrival, Berlo has hired eight head coaches covering 11 of the 16 varsity programs at UMD. Six of those coaches have led their teams to NCAA postseason competition and two have been named national or conference coach of the year (Maura Crowell - women's hockey, national coach of the year in 2017 and Mandy Pearson - women's basketball, conference coach of the year in 2020). Moreover, 15 of the 16 Bulldog teams have reached the NCAA Tournament during Berlo's nine years guiding the department and all have excelled in the classroom, in the community, and in competition. 
 
Under Berlo's leadership, Bulldog athletics has also furthered its history of women leading UMD's athletics programs and was honored in 2016 with an "A" rating by the the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sports. 
 
For these and other accomplishments of Bulldogs Athletics, Berlo was named a 2018 NCAA Division II Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year.
 
As UMD's Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Berlo supervised UMD's coaches, staff, administrative personnel, and was responsible for the Bulldogs' nearly 400 student-athletes. He also developed and implemented the strategic plan, managed an annual departmental budget of approximately $12 million, directed the use of UMD athletic facilities, and led fundraising and marketing efforts.
 
Highlighted accomplishments of Bulldog Athletics under the leadership of Berlo are listed below:
 
Classroom
  • UMD's nearly 400 student-athletes -- including redshirt freshmen -- collectively have posted an all-time high GPA in seven of the past nine years --- with a new record in 2020-21 of 3.44. 
  • UMD Athletics has earned over 900 All-Conference Academic Honors (NSIC, WCHA and NCHC) and over 50 NSIC Myles Brand Academic Award Winners.
  • UMD held the distinction of producing more NSIC Elite 18 Award recipients than any other member institution in 2017-18 (six student-athletes). The NSIC Elite 18 Award is bestowed to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the final site for each of the NSIC's 18 Championships.
  • The Jamar Athletic Academic Study Center, which is housed in the UMD Sports and Health Center complex, was recently renovated with improved enhancements for student-athlete academic support through the partnership with the Jamar Company (and in memory of Walker Jamar Jr.), it continues to pay major dividends for the Bulldogs in the classroom.  This space now includes a group study room and an adjacent office for the Academic Advisor for student-athletes.
 
Community
  • UMD student-athletes and staff have continued to give back to the Duluth community over the years. The Bulldogs have steadily increased volunteer hours in the local community from over 2,000 hours per year (2013-14) to over 4,500 hours per year (2018-19).
  • In addition, UMD Athletics' Mission and Vision Statement, was overhauled in 2014 and most recently updated in 2020. This continues to be a critical guide for the future of Bulldog Athletics and a clear statement of the Athletic Department's values.
  • Through sales of UMD camouflage hats and commemorative coins along with individual donations, UMD has raised over $80,000 for Operation One Voice as part of the Bulldogs' annual Military Appreciation Nights. Operation One Voice is a program designed by veterans, police officers, firefighters and community leaders to generate funds to help support the immediate needs of children and families of wounded and fallen Special Operations Forces.
  • UMD claimed the inaugural NSIC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Cup in 2017-18 and again in 2021-22. Highlights of UMD's year included raising over $10,000 for Make-A-Wish, participating in all three NSIC SAAC Initiatives, and engaging their campus community in their regular SAAC meetings.
  • The NCAA appointed Berlo to a four year term on the NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Committee beginning on September 1st, 2020 as well as leading the NCHC and WCHA conference commissioner searches over the past two years. 
 
Competition
  • 21 total conference (NSIC and NCHC) regular season and tournament championships have been achieved in the last nine years. 
  • Bulldog men's hockey won two National Championships (2018 and 2019 --- just the third team in 47 years to win back-to-back NCAA men's hockey championships) as part of an incredible run of four consecutive Frozen Four appearances (including three straight championship game appearances). 
  • The UMD men's and women's hockey programs both reached their respective NCAA Frozen Fours in the same season for the first time in their history during the 2020-21 season. UMD women's hockey reached the NCAA championship game this past season.
  • UMD women's hockey alumni won Olympic Gold in 2018 with Maddie Rooney and Sidney Morin as key contributors to the U.S. women's hockey team that defeated Canada by a score of 3-2 at the Winter Olympics in South Korea.
  • The Bulldog men's hockey program notched its sixth Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner (the most in college hockey) in Scott Perunovich (2020).
  • In addition, UMD has claimed three individual national championships in women's track and field (Samantha Rivard in 2014, Emi Trost in 2017, and Danielle Kohlwey in 2019).
  • Top five national rankings were obtained by women's volleyball, football, women's cross country, men's hockey, and women's hockey – including extended periods at number one by women's volleyball and men's hockey.
  • UMD Athletics has produced over 100 All-Americans across 16 programs since 2014.
  • UMD men's hockey saw its 65th former Bulldog to skate in the National Hockey League. 
 
Other Accomplishments
  • Bulldog Athletics is annually ranked in NCAA Division I top three for women's hockey attendance, top five for men's hockey, and top ten for Division II women's volleyball attendance.
  • On the fundraising front, UMD athletics has generated over $15 million during the past ten years and hit the $1 million annual fundraising mark in each year during Berlo's tenure. Prior to Berlo's arrival, the Bulldogs had never reached the $1 million annual fundraising mark. 
  • UMD Athletics has hosted a number of high profile events with the Duluth community seeing direct economic impact. In 2017 the Bulldogs hosted their first College Hockey Inc., Ice Breaker Tournament which featured over 13,000 fans over the course of the weekend. The Bulldogs once again hosted in the fall of 2021. The Ice Breaker Tournament is college hockey's premier kick-off event to the season which brings together four of the top programs in the nation, typically from different conferences. 
  • The Bulldog marketing team has won over 21 awards for its innovative marketing efforts with "Best of" Awards from the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) in the past nine years.
  • The Bulldogs have also hosted the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships twice -- which hosts 27 teams and over 800 student-athletes over a 3-day period in May. This event produces a local economic, media, and community impact of over $500,000 with each hosting. 
  • A $10 million renovation of Romano Gymnasium that included a new state-of-the-art playing surface, bleachers, addition of a $350,000 LED HD video scoreboard, lighting and sound system, central production room to broadcast for regional TV, and a number of aesthetic additions.
  • The Bulldog Scholarship fund raising phase for the benefit of all UMD Athletics programs led by the 2016 Goldberg Scholarship Challenge raising over $1.5 million for Athletic Scholarships. 
  • In addition, the total Athletics Scholarship Endowment has been tripled to approximately $5 million. Donor funded renovations and scholarship funding initiatives have included: the Jamar Academic Center for Student-Athletes, the Seyfer Bulldog Team Room and Video Suite, the H.B. Hanna Home Coaches Booth, the Erickson Athletics Reception, the Mike Sertich Head Men's Hockey Coaches Office, the Superior Beverages Club Lounge, Justin Faulk Hockey Athletic Training Office, Dave and Doris Walter Softball Locker Room, and the Farrell Family Athletics Business Center.
  • In addition, new scoreboards were installed at Junction Field and Bulldog Park benefiting the UMD softball and baseball programs. 
  • Recently honored a half-century of Bulldog Women's Athletics with the 50 for 50 Women's Athletics Initiative that included a yearlong celebration and the creation of a women's athletics specific endowment.
  • Expanded coverage of Bulldog Athletics through the KDAL, My9, CBSS, BSN, NCHC, WCHA and NSIC partnerships resulting in more games broadcasted and streamed on larger platforms with better production quality than ever before.
  • Enhanced strategic partnerships such as Essentia Health and Under Armour, benefiting the health, welfare, and competitive advantage of the Bulldog student-athlete.
  • Bulldog Locker Room renovations of UMD football, women's volleyball, women's basketball and men's basketball, women's soccer, women's tennis, and softball. 
  • Strategic planning investments for the future of Bulldog athletics with the creation of Bulldogs 2025. 
  • UMD athletic sponsorship and ticket revenue has topped the $3 million mark six times (all record highs). 
See below for all accomplishments by year under Berlo's leadership of Bulldog athletics:  
 
 
 
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