Norwood Teague was introduced as Minnesota’s director of athletics on April 23, 2012. In his short time in the Twin Cities, Teague has already begun implementing strategies that have the potential to dramatically change the landscape of Golden Gopher Athletics, including developing the department’s first-ever master facilities plan and strategic plan.

Teague, 46, joined Gopher Athletics after an ultra-successful, six-year run as director of athletics at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va.

During his tenure at VCU, Teague propelled the Rams’ athletic program to new heights, overseeing continued success in the classroom and on the playing field, as well as directing remarkable growth in gifts to VCU’s annual and capital funds. Most impressive of all, however, may be the growth of the VCU brand under Teague, who helped take the Rams’ image from one of regional awareness to national acclaim.

Known as a visionary leader on many fronts, Teague initiated an extraordinary campaign in the fall of 2011 to construct a $10 million practice facility. The practice facility will serve both the men’s and women’s basketball programs at VCU, as well as other sports. The facility is part of an ambitious master facility plan that Teague and his senior staff devised in 2011.

On the fundraising side, Teague displayed a consistent ability to connect with donors and fans alike. In October of 2011, he led a major upgrade to the Stuart C. Seigel Center that featured club seats, suites, and office remodeling for both men’s and women’s basketball. The project was privately funded with a price tag of $4 million and transformed the look and feel of VCU’s home arena.

During his tenure, VCU’s athletic annual fund increased more than 119 percent, with annual average increases of more than 20 percent. In the fall of 2009, Teague instituted the “Shoot for 1,000” campaign, a program that dramatically grew the donor base of the Ram Athletic Fund.

Known as one of the nation’s most innovative external administrators prior to his hiring at VCU, Teague exhibited talents far beyond the reach of marketing with the Rams. Those skills helped VCU enjoy enormous success on the playing fields during his time in Richmond. Teague helped build the men’s basketball program into one that now has a national reputation. VCU’s two men’s basketball coaches under Teague’s watch, Anthony Grant and Shaka Smart, have proven themselves to be among the top young talents in the college game.

Teague joined the Rams after five years as associate athletic director at the University of North Carolina, where he oversaw external operations, including the Tar Heels’ multimedia property, marketing, and licensing. At UNC, he negotiated numerous partnership and rights agreements. Among them was an eight-year, $20 million contract with Learfield Sports and a first ever on-premises signage partnership with Wachovia in the Dean E. Smith Center.

Prior to his work at North Carolina, Teague spent time honing his craft at some of the nation’s most prestigious athletic departments.

From 1999-2001, he served as general manager of the Sun Devil Sports Network at Arizona State, where he increased sales and negotiated several multi-year television contracts. At ASU, Teague oversaw radio, television, Internet and signage operations, while operating in one of America’s top 20 media markets. During 1998-99, Teague headed up new programs for VilCom Sports and The Tar Heel Sports Network at the University of North Carolina. He also served a five-year stint with the University of Virginia Athletic Department from 1993-98, working as Director of Marketing and then Director of Operations for the Cavaliers’ men’s basketball program.