Rams' Niland adding AD duties

Joe Niland can't put it off any longer: after years of resistance, the University of Mobile men's basketball coach is finally going to have a cell phone.

He probably would have held out a little longer, but he's going to need it with the added duties he is undertaking. On Sunday, Niland will take over as the school's athletics director.

Dr. John Runda has handled the AD chores for the school the past two years shortly after the school eliminated the job as a full-time position, but he has announced his retirement. Runda served two stints as the Rams' AD.

"I'm very excited about it," said Niland, who has been UM's basketball coach for eight seasons.

"It's a great opportunity. We've been lucky that Dr. Runda has done it the last two years and he has done such a great job for us. With the veteran staff we have here, it should make the part-time job as AD much easier. ... We have a lot of things in place.

"A lot of schools in our league (Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) do this. It's not uncommon among small colleges."

As Mobile's AD, Niland will oversee each of the school's sports and be involved in all areas of operations, restrictions and budgets. He will also be involved in league decision-making as the school's athletics department representative.

Niland said his previous experience as dean of students at Spring Hill College should prove helpful with his new role at Mobile.

"I got a really good look at the inner workings of the university," he said. "I was in on strategic meetings and I gained a lot of experience from it. It was an eye-opening experience, really. As a coach, you worry about your area and not what happens university-wise. To see things from a different perspective was very valuable."

Aside from his duties at Mobile, Niland also coaches AAU basketball in the community and is active in Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) basketball and with other youth basketball teams.

In eight years at Mobile, Niland's teams are 175-92, including four NAIA tournament appearances, two GCAC tournament crowns and two GCAC regular-season titles.

Niland was Spring Hill's all-time wins leader, with a record of 127-60 in six seasons. He took two Badgers teams to the NAIA tournament and also won GCAC tournament and regular-season crowns.