Portland State Magazine Spring 2015

SPRING 2015 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 27 THE NEW YEAR brought big changes to Portland State Athletics. Following a national search, Mark Rountree took over as director of Athletics in January. He has spent more than two decades in collegiate athletics administration, most recently as deputy athletics director at Miami University of Ohio. Rountree takes over a Viking program that has won 28 conference team championships and made 17 NCAA post-season appearances since 2003. But he faces immediate challenges, including getting the Viking Pavilion project—a $44 million upgrade to the Peter W. Stott Center—through construction; assisting with the turnaround of a football program that has had only one winning season in the past eight years; and shepherding new growth in athletics development and fundraising. “My plan is to make Viking Athletics a source of pride for Portland State and the city of Portland,” says Rountree.  Vikings get new leadership Athletics GET ALL OF THE LATEST sports news at GoViks.com . Game stories, statistics, schedules and much more are available and updated daily. You can also hear and/or see game broadcasts. Buy season and single-game tickets online at GoViks.com or call 1-888-VIK-TIKS or 503-725-3307. RECORD SET Senior Jazmin Ratcliff won her first Big Sky indoor title while reclaiming the school record in the 60-meter hurdles. The women’s track and field team tied for fourth with 68 total points at the Big Sky Indoor Championships this winter. Mark Rountree will oversee the athletics program and its nine men’s and women’s teams as new director. Photo by Kelly James.