Orono, Maine – Jason Grunkemeyer has been named deputy director of athletics at the University of Maine, effective Aug. 8, 2023.
 
Grunkemeyer joins UMaine from Hilton Head Christian Academy where he served as the athletic director and head boys basketball coach. Administratively, he has overseen all elements of the athletic department and its 16 varsity sports – including budgeting, scheduling, coach and staff hiring, evaluation and mentorship, compliance, event and game operations, facilities, maintenance and fundraising. As a coach, he also earned Regional Coach of the Year honors as his varsity team finished runner-up in the state of South Carolina private school championship. 
 
"Jason brings deep experiences and rich perspectives, having been a champion and NCAA Tournament participating student-athlete, a coach and administrator at both public and private colleges and universities and at public and private high schools for more than 20 years," UMaine Director of Athletics Jude Killy says. "He has directly worked in or overseen every unit of an athletic department in a decision-making role. On top of that, his professionalism and acumen are unmatched. Most importantly, Jason's value system is grounded in integrity and a team-above-self philosophy that is committed to educating, mentoring and developing people in support of comprehensive excellence. He is the perfect match for our senior leadership team, our department, and the University."
 
As a college basketball coach, Grunkemeyer served as an assistant or associate head coach at Saint Louis University, Miami University and Ball State University. While coaching, his teams made the postseason on seven different occasions and during his most recent college coaching stop at Ball State was a part of teams that won three Mid-American Conference (MAC) division titles. In the summer of 2020, he was voted by his peers in the league as the top assistant coach in the MAC in a poll conducted by college basketball guru Jeff Goodman. In addition to coaching and recruiting duties, he has also coordinated team travel, handled scheduling, managed the team's budget, served as primary staff liaison to strength training and sports medicine, and overseen program academic performance. 
 
"I want to thank President Joan Ferrini-Mundy and Director of Athletics Jude Killy for this incredible opportunity to serve the University and this community in my role as Deputy AD," Grunkemeyer says. "I love to be a part of supporting the success of others and my focus will be to utilize my experiences as an athlete, coach, and administrator to help our students, coaches, and staff reach their potential in all areas.  Additionally, I couldn't be more excited to work under the leadership of Jude Killy, who I know through first-hand experience to be an exceptional person, administrator, and servant leader.  The future is bright for the University of Maine Athletics and my family and I are excited to be a part of this community!"
 
A former standout basketball student-athlete at Miami University, Grunkemeyer was an all-academic team member in the classroom and an honorable mention performer on the court. He was part of Miami's 1999 "Sweet Sixteen" run and served as captain of the program his senior year.
 
At Maine, Grunkemeyer's primary responsibilities will include mentoring coaches and staff, supporting new and existing facilities and operations, sports medicine and sports performance. He will also be heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of the department, strategic planning, serve as a sport administrator, and will be involved in all personnel matters. 
 
Grunkemeyer has also served as athletic director at Talawanda High School where he oversaw scheduling, created and managed the department budget, managed all facility and game day operations, hired and evaluated staff and developed community relations. While at Talawanda, Grunkemeyer helped open and establish protocols for moving into a brand-new high school.
 
"Jason has extraordinarily high expectations and standards and his addition will help elevate our department to where we all believe it can go," Killy added. "I am excited to welcome Jason, Angie and their three kids (Josh-15, Nate-13, and Evie-7) to Maine's flagship R1 University."

Grunkemeyer earned his bachelor's degree in education from Miami in 2001 while minoring in business marketing.

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