Georgetown names Muir director of athletics: but management positions in sports still lack an African American presence.

College athletics added another African American to its list of top officials with the hiring of Bernard Muir as Georgetown University's director of athletics. Muir is one of two African American directors in the Big East conference and thinks his new role is a step in the right direction. "As a division one athletic director, [management at this level] is not as diverse as it is at the coaching level. Hopefully, I can have an influence, both internally and externally, down the road," says Muir, who will oversee the operations of the university's intramural and intercollegiate athletic programs, which include 650 student athletes and more than 100 staff members and coaches.

Communication is the key to diversifying the ranks in sports administration, says Muir. "A lot of times, we just need to do a better job of communicating those opportunities, and counseling and mentoring. Certainly, that was the case in my experience. I recognized what I wanted to do, sought out experience, and had people look out for me along the way. Hopefully, I can do that for others."

Muir has an extensive history with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, including serving as the director of the Division 1 men's basketball championship. He was also a four-year member and captain of the basketball team at Brown University. Muir replaced Joe Lang, who retired after nine years as Georgetown's athletic director.--Erinn Johnson, Additional reporting by K. Terrell Reed