UK announced Thursday afternoon it had hired Chris Woolard as Associate Athletics Director of Basketball Operations. He will act as Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart’s liaison to John Calipari’s program.
“UK is unique in that you really need someone like Chris who has experience at the highest level to be a part of our men’s basketball program,” Calipari tweeted. “He’ll be involved (with) all aspects of our program (and) will have an active role as a liaison for me in regards to our campus (and) the Commonwealth.”
Woolard had been working for the Conference USA office since July, 2004. Since 2008, he had been Associate Commissioner for Sports Services, a job in which he administered the men’s basketball program and acted as director for the annual men’s basketball tournament.
“We have had a strong working relationship in the past and Iook forward to our future at UK,” Calipari tweeted.
Prior to joining Conference USA, Woolard spent a year in private business after working eight years as a college basketball coach. He was on the Murray State staff from 1997-2003.
Woolard began his collegiate coaching career as a student assistant coach at UCLA. During his two years at UCLA, he was involved in recruiting, summer camps and also assisted with practice drills and scrimmages.
A native of Carbondale, Ill., Woolard earned a bachelor’s degree in History from UCLA in August, 1997.
Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald- Leader has covered Kentucky basketball since the 1981-82 season. That time includes five coaches, five Final Fours, four athletic directors, two interim athletic directors and many memories. Before coming to Lexington, Tipton worked eight years for the Huntington (W.Va.) Herald-Dispatch. He covered Marshall’s basketball team for two seasons before coming to the Herald-Leader.
