Ashland University director of athletics Al King recently announced the hiring of Chris Kohuth as the athletic department's director of game operations, facilities, ticketing, and camps.
Kohuth, a 2013 graduate of Ashland University, started in the role on June 17.
"We're delighted to welcome Chris back to campus," King said. "It's not very often that we bring in someone from an Ivy League institution. Chris worked for me in sports information for four years as an undergraduate and distinguished himself with his passion, work ethic and desire for a career in athletic management. His track record demonstrates how he's progressed. We're getting an impressive young professional with a love for Ashland University. It's hard to beat that."
Kohuth returns to Ashland after spending the last five years at Yale University where he started as a graduate intern before eventually moving into the role of assistant athletic director for internal operations, a position he held for the last three-and-a-half years.
"I would like to thank Al King and the search committee for providing me with this special opportunity to return to the AU campus," Kohuth said. "Also, I would like to thank Yale University and its Athletics Department for the opportunity they provided me the last five years. I am excited and eager to get started here at Ashland, and look forward to being part of this program as we work to enhance our game day experience.
At Yale, he served as a sport administrator for the men's and women's crew and men's and women's fencing programs, serving as the direct supervisor of those respective coaching staffs.
Kohuth chaired the athletic department's event management committee, serving as an event manager for football, men's soccer, men's basketball, gymnastics, baseball and crew events. He helped organize and coordinate events for 35 varsity sports in 12 facilities at Yale. Kohuth was named the Event Manager of the Year by the Collegiate Event and Facility Management Association in 2018.
"Chris is going to be able to introduce some different concepts to our department," King said. "He owns a good understanding of what's worked at Ashland University in the past, but he's not going to be timid about taking some of the things that worked at Yale and incorporating those into our game day environment. That's what we want him to do. He's going to help us grow and expand our boundaries. It's a fresh perspective with a keen appreciation of our traditions, both in athletics and the university as a whole.
He also oversaw the bid, planning and event execution processes for NCAA and Ivy League Championships. Kohuth managed the athletic department's internship program that has produced a pool of young professionals in the industry. He also worked with Yale's Office of Emergency Management to develop and implement the most comprehensive football game day command center in the Ivy League.
Prior to starting at Yale in 2014, Kohuth worked as a sports and operations manager for the Cleveland Special Events Corporation, managing an intern staff, arranging event and venue logistics, and organizing events.
While an undergraduate student at Ashland, Kohuth worked in the athletic department as a game day staff member in the sports information office.
He earned his bachelor of science degree in sport management from Ashland in 2013, and completed his master of science degree in management of sports industries from the University of New Haven.
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