Blum Named Interim Athletic Director
6/30/2010 3:00:02 PM
La Crosse, Wis. - University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Assistant Chancellor and Dean of Students Dr. Paula Knudson has appointed Kim Blum as the university's interim athletic director effective July 1. Blum replaces Joe Baker, who accepted the position of athletic director at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Blum will serve in the interim role until a full-time athletic director is named later this summer. A 14-member committee has been formed consisting of faculty, staff, student-athletes and community members.
"I know Kim will do a great job as our interim director," said Knudson. "She is hard-working, organized, truly understands our athletic program needs and is incredibly committed to students and UW-L athletics. I am very confident Kim will provide the solid leadership needed to nurture the strong athletic traditions of UW-L."
Blum completed her sixth year as UW-L’s Associate Athletic Director in 2010. She served as the women’s track & field head coach and associate athletic director at Winona (Minn.) State University for seven years prior to coming to UW-L.
Earning her bachelor’s (recreation management) and master’s (sport administration) degrees from UW-L, Blum served as an administrative graduate assistant in intercollegiate athletics for the Eagles for two years. She graduated from Tomahawk (Wis.) High School.
Along with her coaching duties at Winona State, Blum has served as an assistant track & field coach at Whitnall (Wis.), Sparta (Wis.) and Onalaska (Wis.) High School. She worked as the assistant coordinator of intercollegiate athletics and recreational sports at Marquette University (Wis.) for two years.
Baker finished his 12th year as athletic director at UW-L in 2010. The Eagles won 26 national championships and 93 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) titles under Baker's tenure.