Lew Perkins

Lew Perkins, a lifelong college administrator who achieved nationally recognized success as Director of Athletics at the University of Kansas (2003-10) and the University of Connecticut, passed away Tuesday morning, July 18, in Lawrence, Ks. He was 78.

He arrived at KU in 2003 after serving 14 years as athletics director at the University of Connecticut. While he was at UConn, the Huskies won six NCAA championships – four in women’s basketball and one each in men’s soccer and men’s basketball. With Perkins as AD the Jayhawks won the 2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship and the 2008 Orange Bowl. His tenure was also marked by the construction of the Booth Family Hall of Athletics, which celebrates the tradition and success of Kansas Athletics, and the Anderson Family Football Complex (the indoor home of Kansas football), as well as outdoor practice football fields. Allen Fieldhouse also underwent major renovations and improvements during that time.

Perkins served on many prestigious committees at the NCAA and conference levels, and was elected to the Board of Directors of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He was named in 2000 as the inaugural winner of the National Athletic Director of the Year Award, as selected by Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal, in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

A native of Chelsea, Mass., Perkins was inducted into his high school Hall of Fame in 1989. A highly recruited basketball player, he played at the University of Iowa (1965-67) for Hall of Fame coach and KU graduate Ralph Miller. Perkins earned his undergraduate degree there in 1967.

Perkins served as Director of Athletics (1969-80) and head basketball coach (1969-79) at the University of South Carolina Aiken as that institution grew from a junior college to a four-year institution. He received his master’s degree in education (1975) from the University of South Carolina. Perkins delivered the commencement address and received an honorary Doctor of Education degree at USC Aiken in May 2005.

Perkins also served as athletics director at the University of Maryland and Wichita State University, and associate director of athletics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Perkins is survived by his wife, Gwen, and two daughters – Holly, Amy (husband Damon Coleman), and two granddaughters (Caroline and Alexandra).