July 10, 2026 • 10 mins
Mike Odom is the new Director of Athletics at Northern Kentucky University. He joined us on ESPN1530.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Earlier this afternoon, Northern Kentucky University formally introduced the new
Director of Athletics at NK You Mike Odham, who comes
to MKU from Creighton University, where he most recently served
as Deputy Athletic Director for External Operations and now is
in charge of Norse Athletics and on what I'm sure
(00:21):
has been a very busy afternoon for him, kind enough
to give us a few minutes. Congratulations, welcome to the
greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky area.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Thank you so much for joining us. Mike, how are you.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
I'm doing great, mo. Thank you for having me and
for the warm welcome, and yeah, look forward to meeting
you and everybody in town.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Looking forward to it. What about this opportunity to you
was most enticing?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Well, there were a handful of things. First of all,
certainly the vision and momentum of our president, Katie Short Thompson.
She is passionate about this place, and as I started
to look into it, certainly the sign and the opportunity
to do some great things with her was a big
part of it. Uh. Certainly the mission of Northern Kentucky
(01:07):
to build student success. You know, we're in this industry,
to help student athletes and to help them get their
you know, degrees, but also help them compete and win championships.
So all of that that part, you know, in the
classroom competitively and in the community to help Northern Kentucky
and just the opportunity to grow Norse athletics across the region. Uh,
(01:30):
what was something I was excited about. And then lastly,
but but certainly not least. Uh, I've got some friends
that lived in the area and and and that some
additional friends that live in the area now, Uh, and
this we thought this would be a great place for
our family. So when you look at these types of
opportunities across the country, you hope that all of the
right stars aligned and the boxes are checked and all
(01:52):
that stuff, And this one did for us. And uh,
it's fortunate and fortunate to be here and and extremely
grateful for the the confidence and belief in me to
help Norse Athletics.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Moving forward, from the moment when the opportunity first appeared
on your radar until you accepted the position, give me
an idea of some of the things you learned about
MKU during the process.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Well, I'll tell you a story. So I was in
town for the Big East Baseball tournament there at Prasco
Park in late May, and we had a rain day.
If you remember Memorial weekend, it was a lot of
rain and stuff. So we took a ride. My six
year old was with me, my dad was with me,
(02:34):
and I said, Hey, we're going to go down to
Northern Kentucky's campus and let's just drive around. You know,
the jobs open, you know it kind of interested and
I've heard great things about it and stuff like that.
So I first drove around campus and I was like, man,
there are some really good things already in place, great facilities,
you know, truest Arena, the soccer stadium, baseball, they were
building tennis at the time, and that's nearing completion, so
(02:56):
just a lot of So I saw up with my
two eyes, like there's really good potential here to build
something special.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Give me an idea of what the top couple of
to do list items are in your list.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
I think it's too one. I'd say there's three buckets, right.
There's the internal bucket of working with our coaches and
student athletes and getting a getting to know everybody. So
that's kind of on the internal side. You know, being
a part of this position is serving on our president's
cabinet and so being a valuable member of the cabinet,
(03:37):
and being a campus partner with various initiatives. And I'd
say the third thing and one that I feel like
matches my skill set and experiences really well, is getting
out in the community and getting to know our alums
and our fans and and you know, telling the story
of our student athletes and are giving the vision of
the department and trying to get folks to come to
(04:00):
come back and come see us and support our great
student athletes and talented student athletes. So I think those
three pieces, a little bit of internal, a little bit
on campus, and a little bit in the community. You know,
those three things are going to be vital to our success.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
From from from your perspective as somebody who has been
involved in college athletics since you were a student, because
you were a basketball manager if not mistaken correct at
NC State under herb Centric.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Yeah, we've done a lot of free throws and made
a lot of gator.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
So so I mean, you've you've made a you know,
you've you've had a carved down a living in college
athletics going back to when you were in school. This
is an incredibly weird time in college athletics for all
of us who love it and care about it. And
there's lots of challenges facing schools, athletics, directors, coaches, athletes,
(04:49):
people who care about college sports. People you know, lament
that college sports are broken. I don't ever go that far.
I think that's overstated. But from your perspective, we're do
things need to go in the coming years?
Speaker 3 (05:04):
You know, it's it, There's there's a lot that's a
very very big, open ending question. You know. I think
for us at Northern Kentucky, we want to figure out
and I think you've got to I as the as
the leader of the department, need to certainly keep my
finger on the pulse of what's going on. You know,
our commissioners here today from the Horizon League, I think
(05:26):
she's going to be a great resource for UH, For
me and for us is as you know, we navigate
all of the changes and I'll call them curve balls
that have come the way of college athletics the last
couple of years, but we've got to be able to
be nimble and and you know, continue to be creative
and how this thing evolves. I would say overall, and
(05:50):
maybe this is a cliche answer, but I want us
to be the best version of Northern Kentucky that we
can be within the landscape and the changes that are happening,
and it'll be my job to kind of figure out
what that looks like. So I hope I answered your
question there, but I think it'll be on me to
certainly help God guide the courses as this world changes
(06:11):
so fast.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, what I mean, No, it's it's a good answer.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
What has it been like from your perspective of, you know,
a college athletics lifer, having watched what what college sports
looked like when you were at a student at NC
State compared to what it is right now? What has
it been like watching us go from what it used
to be to what we have today?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
You know, I certainly, I certainly think there are issues,
but I also think if you sit and dwell on
the issues, you're going to get left behind. You know,
you need to figure out what the issues are and
how you can fix them and how you can be
creative to do what's best for your institution. You know,
(06:56):
at at Creighton, we we had to we have had
to continue to adjust. We've had to continue to look
for new revenues, which which will be a big part
of what what you know, we're charged with here and
I'll be charged with here, and so you've got to
continue to evolve and be ready to evolve. So I
(07:18):
think that you know, I think before COVID, maybe college
athletics operated where things would change maybe like every two
to five years, and now it seems like it's every
two months. And so you just gotta be you got
to you got to have a plan for the plan
sometimes and and that's not always easy. So but I
also will go back to and especially at a place
(07:39):
at North of Kentucky, the main thing is still the
main thing, and that's our student athletes and our coaches
and how can we prepare our student athletes to be
great in the classroom, competitively and in the community. And
somebody asked me today, like, hey, what's your dream here?
My dream would be for for our teams to hoist
a trophy. But then when the student athletes, you know,
(08:02):
when the semesters over, they all go and get their diplomas.
So that's still the main thing, which is which is
to provide an education that can help change the lives
of young people.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
And I feel like in the discourse that that gets lost,
and you know, being around in student athletes, I'm always taken.
I'm always impressed by the fact that so many of
them still have the rise on that prize. Right Like
I'm I can make money as a student athlete, that's
that's great. I have opportunities, you know that are are
maybe different and better than those that came before me.
(08:34):
But at the end of the day, I want to
use college to put myself in the position to do
something even bigger and better. And the best way to
do that is in the classroom. And I feel like
that that's still that gets lost more than ever before
in the discourse, no question and.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
The you know, it's the the saying of you know,
a fourty year investment for the next forty forty years
of your life still holds true, still rings true. And
I still think at the very core of college athletics
that can still be one of the main points. And
I think for us here at Northern Kentucky that'll be
you know that that that matters, and you know, I'm
(09:10):
excited to to keep that the main thing.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Mike otamis with us.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
He is the new vice president and director of Athletics
at NKU, coming to Highland Heights from Creighton University. Uh.
During the process, do you get to know coaches as
you're interviewing? Is this something obviously you want to get
to know them more, But have you had a chance
to get to know some of the people that will
be working for you in the run up to you
actually getting hired.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
I did not, and and and and do not. So
I'm still I've met everybody today. I met a handful.
I met all the head coaches when I was here
on my interview, but but today was really the first
day where it's like, all right, hey, let's uh, let's
talk next week or let's you know, text me when
you have a minute. Uh, Like, now's the time where
(09:58):
I guess those relationships will be again. Certainly the folks
on the search committee and some of the folks this
week that have helped with all the logistics that coming
here to to campus and my family coming to campus.
So we're starting to starting to get to other folks
a little bit. But I'm looking forward to getting to
know all our coaches, and I told them today in
the press conference, in our in our meeting that we
had like, I'm here for them. I'm here to serve
(10:19):
them and try to help tee them up to do
the best they can when they get you know, between
the lines. That's that's kind of what I'm here for.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Uh makes sense to me. Can thank you enough for
doing this.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
I'm sure it's been a crazy last few days, a
lot going on, but again, welcome to the area. Looking
forward to meeting in person, and thanks for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
You got it. Thank you for the time and look
forward to meeting you and having you out here on
campus and go north.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
I'll be there. I'll be there, Mike, thanks so much.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
All right, thank you,
Earlier this afternoon, Northern Kentucky University formally introduced the new
Director of Athletics at NK You Mike Odham, who comes
to MKU from Creighton University, where he most recently served
as Deputy Athletic Director for External Operations and now is
in charge of Norse Athletics and on what I'm sure
(00:21):
has been a very busy afternoon for him, kind enough
to give us a few minutes. Congratulations, welcome to the
greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky area.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Thank you so much for joining us. Mike, how are you.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
I'm doing great, mo. Thank you for having me and
for the warm welcome, and yeah, look forward to meeting
you and everybody in town.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Looking forward to it. What about this opportunity to you
was most enticing?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Well, there were a handful of things. First of all,
certainly the vision and momentum of our president, Katie Short Thompson.
She is passionate about this place, and as I started
to look into it, certainly the sign and the opportunity
to do some great things with her was a big
part of it. Uh. Certainly the mission of Northern Kentucky
(01:07):
to build student success. You know, we're in this industry,
to help student athletes and to help them get their
you know, degrees, but also help them compete and win championships.
So all of that that part, you know, in the
classroom competitively and in the community to help Northern Kentucky
and just the opportunity to grow Norse athletics across the region. Uh,
(01:30):
what was something I was excited about. And then lastly,
but but certainly not least. Uh, I've got some friends
that lived in the area and and and that some
additional friends that live in the area now, Uh, and
this we thought this would be a great place for
our family. So when you look at these types of
opportunities across the country, you hope that all of the
right stars aligned and the boxes are checked and all
(01:52):
that stuff, And this one did for us. And uh,
it's fortunate and fortunate to be here and and extremely
grateful for the the confidence and belief in me to
help Norse Athletics.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Moving forward, from the moment when the opportunity first appeared
on your radar until you accepted the position, give me
an idea of some of the things you learned about
MKU during the process.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Well, I'll tell you a story. So I was in
town for the Big East Baseball tournament there at Prasco
Park in late May, and we had a rain day.
If you remember Memorial weekend, it was a lot of
rain and stuff. So we took a ride. My six
year old was with me, my dad was with me,
(02:34):
and I said, Hey, we're going to go down to
Northern Kentucky's campus and let's just drive around. You know,
the jobs open, you know it kind of interested and
I've heard great things about it and stuff like that.
So I first drove around campus and I was like, man,
there are some really good things already in place, great facilities,
you know, truest Arena, the soccer stadium, baseball, they were
building tennis at the time, and that's nearing completion, so
(02:56):
just a lot of So I saw up with my
two eyes, like there's really good potential here to build
something special.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Give me an idea of what the top couple of
to do list items are in your list.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
I think it's too one. I'd say there's three buckets, right.
There's the internal bucket of working with our coaches and
student athletes and getting a getting to know everybody. So
that's kind of on the internal side. You know, being
a part of this position is serving on our president's
cabinet and so being a valuable member of the cabinet,
(03:37):
and being a campus partner with various initiatives. And I'd
say the third thing and one that I feel like
matches my skill set and experiences really well, is getting
out in the community and getting to know our alums
and our fans and and you know, telling the story
of our student athletes and are giving the vision of
the department and trying to get folks to come to
(04:00):
come back and come see us and support our great
student athletes and talented student athletes. So I think those
three pieces, a little bit of internal, a little bit
on campus, and a little bit in the community. You know,
those three things are going to be vital to our success.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
From from from your perspective as somebody who has been
involved in college athletics since you were a student, because
you were a basketball manager if not mistaken correct at
NC State under herb Centric.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Yeah, we've done a lot of free throws and made
a lot of gator.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
So so I mean, you've you've made a you know,
you've you've had a carved down a living in college
athletics going back to when you were in school. This
is an incredibly weird time in college athletics for all
of us who love it and care about it. And
there's lots of challenges facing schools, athletics, directors, coaches, athletes,
(04:49):
people who care about college sports. People you know, lament
that college sports are broken. I don't ever go that far.
I think that's overstated. But from your perspective, we're do
things need to go in the coming years?
Speaker 3 (05:04):
You know, it's it, There's there's a lot that's a
very very big, open ending question. You know. I think
for us at Northern Kentucky, we want to figure out
and I think you've got to I as the as
the leader of the department, need to certainly keep my
finger on the pulse of what's going on. You know,
our commissioners here today from the Horizon League, I think
(05:26):
she's going to be a great resource for UH, For
me and for us is as you know, we navigate
all of the changes and I'll call them curve balls
that have come the way of college athletics the last
couple of years, but we've got to be able to
be nimble and and you know, continue to be creative
and how this thing evolves. I would say overall, and
(05:50):
maybe this is a cliche answer, but I want us
to be the best version of Northern Kentucky that we
can be within the landscape and the changes that are happening,
and it'll be my job to kind of figure out
what that looks like. So I hope I answered your
question there, but I think it'll be on me to
certainly help God guide the courses as this world changes
(06:11):
so fast.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, what I mean, No, it's it's a good answer.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
What has it been like from your perspective of, you know,
a college athletics lifer, having watched what what college sports
looked like when you were at a student at NC
State compared to what it is right now? What has
it been like watching us go from what it used
to be to what we have today?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
You know, I certainly, I certainly think there are issues,
but I also think if you sit and dwell on
the issues, you're going to get left behind. You know,
you need to figure out what the issues are and
how you can fix them and how you can be
creative to do what's best for your institution. You know,
(06:56):
at at Creighton, we we had to we have had
to continue to adjust. We've had to continue to look
for new revenues, which which will be a big part
of what what you know, we're charged with here and
I'll be charged with here, and so you've got to
continue to evolve and be ready to evolve. So I
(07:18):
think that you know, I think before COVID, maybe college
athletics operated where things would change maybe like every two
to five years, and now it seems like it's every
two months. And so you just gotta be you got
to you got to have a plan for the plan
sometimes and and that's not always easy. So but I
also will go back to and especially at a place
(07:39):
at North of Kentucky, the main thing is still the
main thing, and that's our student athletes and our coaches
and how can we prepare our student athletes to be
great in the classroom, competitively and in the community. And
somebody asked me today, like, hey, what's your dream here?
My dream would be for for our teams to hoist
a trophy. But then when the student athletes, you know,
(08:02):
when the semesters over, they all go and get their diplomas.
So that's still the main thing, which is which is
to provide an education that can help change the lives
of young people.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
And I feel like in the discourse that that gets lost,
and you know, being around in student athletes, I'm always taken.
I'm always impressed by the fact that so many of
them still have the rise on that prize. Right Like
I'm I can make money as a student athlete, that's
that's great. I have opportunities, you know that are are
maybe different and better than those that came before me.
(08:34):
But at the end of the day, I want to
use college to put myself in the position to do
something even bigger and better. And the best way to
do that is in the classroom. And I feel like
that that's still that gets lost more than ever before
in the discourse, no question and.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
The you know, it's the the saying of you know,
a fourty year investment for the next forty forty years
of your life still holds true, still rings true. And
I still think at the very core of college athletics
that can still be one of the main points. And
I think for us here at Northern Kentucky that'll be
you know that that that matters, and you know, I'm
(09:10):
excited to to keep that the main thing.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Mike otamis with us.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
He is the new vice president and director of Athletics
at NKU, coming to Highland Heights from Creighton University. Uh.
During the process, do you get to know coaches as
you're interviewing? Is this something obviously you want to get
to know them more, But have you had a chance
to get to know some of the people that will
be working for you in the run up to you
actually getting hired.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
I did not, and and and and do not. So
I'm still I've met everybody today. I met a handful.
I met all the head coaches when I was here
on my interview, but but today was really the first
day where it's like, all right, hey, let's uh, let's
talk next week or let's you know, text me when
you have a minute. Uh, Like, now's the time where
(09:58):
I guess those relationships will be again. Certainly the folks
on the search committee and some of the folks this
week that have helped with all the logistics that coming
here to to campus and my family coming to campus.
So we're starting to starting to get to other folks
a little bit. But I'm looking forward to getting to
know all our coaches, and I told them today in
the press conference, in our in our meeting that we
had like, I'm here for them. I'm here to serve
(10:19):
them and try to help tee them up to do
the best they can when they get you know, between
the lines. That's that's kind of what I'm here for.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Uh makes sense to me. Can thank you enough for
doing this.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
I'm sure it's been a crazy last few days, a
lot going on, but again, welcome to the area. Looking
forward to meeting in person, and thanks for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
You got it. Thank you for the time and look
forward to meeting you and having you out here on
campus and go north.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
I'll be there. I'll be there, Mike, thanks so much.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
All right, thank you,
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