Rec sports director named

A recreational sports administrator with 21 years of experience on a Big Ten campus will become the new director of recreational sports at the university.

Dale Carruthers has been with the Division of Campus Recreation at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since 1981

“Dale has vision, works well with people and has a proven track record with a first class recreational sports program at a major university,” says David DeWitt, chair of the Recreational Sports Board, chair of the Department of Computer Sciences and professor of computer sciences. “He knows how to get things accomplished and will have a significant impact on this campus.”

Since 1990, Carruthers has been the Division of Campus Recreation associate director for facilities, which put him in charge of the university’s six indoor recreational sports facilities and a staff of six, a number of graduate assistants and 350 students. Carruthers has also served as the associate director for formal programs, assistant director for special services and assistant director for sport clubs.

Though Carruthers says ending a long career at the University of Illinois was a difficult decision, he is looking forward to the new challenges and opportunities offered at UW–Madison.

“I was most impressed by the staff and students I will be working with,” Carruthers says. “I was really sold on this campus after hearing their ideas and seeing the possibilities that exist at UW–Madison.”

Before joining UIUC, Carruthers was superintendent of recreation for the Morton, Ill. Park District. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in recreation management from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

School of Education Dean Charles Read chose Carruthers from a list of finalists selected by a 15-member search and screen committee chaired by Mariamne Whatley, associate dean of the School of Education, and made up of faculty, academic and classified staff, and students. The School of Education is the administrative home for the Division of Recreational Sports.

Carruthers replaces David Berge, who retired July 5 after more than 18 years as UW–Madison’s director of recreational sports.

The director of recreational sports coordinates the division’s programs, facilities, budget and personnel, which includes more than 400 students.
Recreational sports attracts more than one million participants each year to its various activities and facilities, which include the Southeast Recreational Facility, Camp Randall Memorial Sports Center, Nielsen Tennis Stadium, Lathrop Hall, the Gymnasium/Natatorium and 64 acres of outdoor play areas.

Carruthers first day at UW–Madison will be Aug. 19.