For 21 years, Chris Massaro has served as Middle Tennessee State University’s (MTSU) Director of Athletics (AD). Now the second longest tenured AD in the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) football subdivision, he has led coaches, students and fans through many changes. He is not done. He has plans for a lot more enhancements to the athletic program, including infrastructure which he hopes will not only enhance the facilities for players and fans, but the look of the Murphy Center and the surrounding environs.
Being a student athlete today is nothing like it was in your mama or daddy’s time, or even 20 years ago when Massaro came to MTSU. There is a lot more pressure on the young men and women under his charge than ever before – caused by more money in the game, the unfiltered exposure of the internet, and, believe it or not, online gambling. Massaro and his team have made a point of adapting to each change that has come along, in hopes of giving their athletes what they need in order to thrive on the field, in the classroom and in their lives.
While Massaro’s $100 million “Build Blue” physical plant plan is changing the face of MTSU’s athletic facilities, he has also added programs to address athletes physical and mental well-being while focusing on success not only on the field, but especially in the classroom.
At the time of Massaro’s interview for the AD position, MTSU was having a problem coordinating athletics and academics. The academic progress rate for their athletes was the lowest in the country. MTSU President Dr. Sidney McPhee was on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors at the time; he was embarrassed by the school’s standing. So, results in turning that around was a big part of Massaro’s interview.
“It is a foundational belief of mine that those are not separate entities,” Massaro shared. “There are intersecting lines; you can have athletic excellence and academic excellence at the same time. Fundamentally we had to change the culture. With every coach we hired, that was a big part of the interview process. Plus, I believe if you have a coaching staff who also cares about the student athletes, then they are going to care about their academic progress. We needed to do more than just use these kids for their athletic abilities, that is a disservice to everyone involved. And so, we were able to change that through the coaching staff, either by bringing in new people or tweaking the orientation of some of our older, established coaches. Academic excellence became a major focus, and we have gone from last to the top 10 percent with graduation success and Academic Progress Rate measurements. Philosophically we let it be known that we are not going to tolerate missed classes and other shenanigans that might happen. Once we got the culture right, then it became self-sustaining. We have been able to maintain those high marks. I am really proud of that.”
Massaro gained his strong belief in the ability to have both athletic and academic excellence growing up in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, where his father was the Superintendent of Schools.
“In my dad’s household, he made it clear that academics were the most important thing,” noted Massaro, “and that any activities -- because my three older brothers and I were all involved with athletics plus other stuff -- were always secondary. That formed the basis of my formation as an Athletic Director, I’ve carried that forward.”
It was a lesson Massaro did learn the hard way. When he was in the seventh grade, he got kicked out of Levy Nicholson’s math class.
“Back then, they put you out in the hallway,” Massaro explained. “And here comes my father walking down the hallway at the junior high with two board members. I think, ‘oh boy, this ain’t gonna be good.’ He says, ‘What are you out here for?’ I tried to blame Mr. Nicholson. He doesn’t like me and this and that. That didn’t work. In seventh grade, I was good enough to play on the eighth-grade football team. He held me out of the game that Saturday. That lesson was never lost.”
Glenwood Springs, located at the meeting of the Colorado and Roaring Fork Rivers, set between Aspen and Vail, was idyllic. Massaro had a tight group of high school friends with whom he played sports. By the time they were seniors, they had won the state championship in football and basketball.
He went on to play college football at University of Northern Colorado and to receive a business degree there. Upon graduation, he knew he wanted to combine his business degree with his love of sport. Not knowing how to do that, since there was no internet to do research on the subject, he reached out to then semi-retired, professional sports executive and entrepreneur Bob Howsam.
“Mr. Howsam was the General Manager and Vice President of the Cincinnati Reds,” related Massaro. “I kind of knew him. He was also the first owner of the Denver Broncos. I knocked on his door and I asked him, ‘How do I get a job like yours? How do I get started?’ He recommended that I get a Master’s in Sports Administration from Ohio University. They were the first ones to have this kind of program. They were, and still are, considered one of the leaders in sports administration and facilities management. So, I applied for the master’s degree program there.”
Preferring small towns to large cities, Massaro decided he wanted to work in college athletics. Part of his degree completion was an internship. He applied for several opportunities, and got one at the University of South Carolina.
“So, this kid from Glenwood Springs is suddenly going to Columbia, South Carolina,” chuckled Massaro. “I started on July 1 and I was like, the humidity here is a little different than in Colorado. It was a bit of a culture shock for everyone, but I really loved it there. They were great people. I ended up spending 20 years there, going from an intern to a Senior Associate AD. That put me in a position to be qualified for this job. I applied for it in 2005, and was fortunate enough to get it.”
Upon taking the job, his game plan was to make an impact. And over the last 21 years, he and his team have changed a lot of lives and turned the light on for a lot of kids academically.
“You never know when someone’s academic life gets turned on,” he added, “so you have to be patient while they are here to get it turned on. And some kids who are under prepared don’t like to be in the classroom, so we help them overcome that fear. They don’t all leave with the light on, we are not perfect, but it is a high percentage that do, and it is gratifying to see when it comes on.” He hopes they will pay it forward to their kids.
Helping these kids deal with academics is not the only way the athletic department helps them. Massaro and his team have put in programs to help the kids eat better, work out more effectively, be more informed about injuries and healing from them, as well as diving deeply into their mental health. The internet is opening these kids to its dark side. Massaro tells of sports betting on college games leading to those who lose a bet sending hateful messages to the players they feel lost the game for them.
The outcome of all this hard work is showing up on the field in multiple sports, including three national championships -- two in track and one in men’s tennis (doubles team).
“One of the doubles team members is six-eight and the other is six-nine,” he remarked. “When I first met them in the hallway I said to myself, ‘here come a couple of basketball players.’ It was stunning to find out they were tennis players. When they come to the net, it is hard to get past them.”
MTSU has had two Sweet Sixteen teams in men’s golf and volleyball. They have also had a lot of teams advance into the “Round of 32”.
“What I am most proud of athletically is that we have shown the ability to punch above our weight class quite a bit,” said Massaro. “We’ve had the occasional football upset, and our women’s basketball can go toe-to-toe with anybody. And we’ve had some high profile wins in men’s basketball. It is great to beat schools that have more resources than we do.”