Longtime University of the Sciences Athletic Director Robert “Bobby” Morgan has announced that he will relinquish that role effective immediately. USciences President Dr. Philip P. Gerbino has named Associate Athletic Director Paul Klimitas Athletic Director, while Morgan will remain a member of the Athletic and Physical Education Departments with expanded advising and teaching duties.
Morgan arrived at the former Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (now USciences) in 1968 as head men’s basketball coach. Between 1968 and 2000, Morgan compiled 598 wins, including four NAIA National Tournament berths and 20-straight NAIA district/regional postseason playoff berths. Among the 10 winningest coaches in NAIA history, he garnered eight Coach of the Year awards. Morgan began his tenure as athletic director and chair of the physical education department in 1977. During that time, he oversaw the growth of the athletic department from four intercollegiate teams to its current 12 with the addition of five women’s programs and three men’s programs in the late 70’s and 80’s. He helped engineer the institution’s transition from NAIA to active NCAA Division II membership by the year 2003. USciences’ active NCAA membership coincided with the opening of its new Athletic/Recreation Center with its new 1,000-seat arena. The arena was christened the Robert C. “Bobby” Morgan Arena in honor of his longtime success as men’s basketball coach. Morgan is also a University of the Sciences honorary alumnus.
“After 43 years, the time felt right,” said Morgan.
His accomplishments on and off the court have been recognized with his induction into the NAIA Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Area Small College Coaches Athletic Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, the USciences Athletic Hall of Fame, the Colonial Athletic Association's 2009 Men's Basketball Legends Class, and Drexel University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2000, Morgan was one of 20 players named to Drexel University’s all millennium men’s basketball team where he was an All-American in 1961. His 17.8 points per game average is still the fourth-highest mark in Drexel basketball history.
“We are honored and privileged as a University to have had Bob Morgan as our athletic director. He is distinguished as a coach and athletic director and has been a driving force for the development of our athletic programs,” said Dr. Gerbino. “Paul Klimitas and Bob have been a great team over the years and this transition for Paul to athletic director is the right choice for our student-athletes and coaches.”
Taking over the athletic director role will be a smooth transition for Klimitas, who has been one of Morgan’s trusted coaches and administrators since joining the University in 1976. The head varsity rifle coach for the past 35 years and known affectionately as “Coach K”, Klimitas is the longest consecutive tenured rifle coach in collegiate varsity history. His teams have won 18 Mid Atlantic Rifle Conference Championships and six national non-NCAA championships. During his 35 years as head rifle coach, Paul’s teams have accumulated over 700 wins. Over the course of his tenure, he was Morgan’s assistant basketball coach for 25 years, and did stints as the women’s head and assistant softball coach and men’s golf coach. He has been the chair of the Department of Physical Education for the past 11 years.
Klimitas has served on the NCAA rifle committee for six years, including two as chair of the national committee, and was part of landmark changes in the NCAA qualification system in approving use of electronic targets. Klimitas has earned MAC coach of the year honors in three different decades and named winner of the MAC’s Robert Ketnzer Service Award in 2007. A three-year member of the NRA Collegiate Competitions Committee, he helped create the NRA National Rifle Club Championship and was named the winner of the National Rifle Association’s Collegiate Service Award in 1997. “Coach K” has hosted and run 28 consecutive NRA Collegiate Sectional Tournaments at USciences and has been a member of the MAC Executive Committee for over 30 years. He is a member of USciences Athletic Hall of Fame and an honorary alumnus.
“My primary goal is to keep the ship sailing in the right direction and make the transition as seamless as possible," said Klimitas.
In making the move to AD, Klimitas will turn over his rifle coaching position to his assistant coach for the past 13 years Dr. Peter Dalidowicz. Dr. Dalidowicz was a former shooter and two year captain for Coach K between 1987 and 1990 graduating with a BS in chemistry. He earned his PhD from Ohio State University in 1995. Mike Bauer will remain in his capacity of assistant coach.