Marian University reached a milestone when its football team won the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) championship in December, and its basketball team had an impressive showing in the NAIA Sweet Sixteen.
Those victories were the latest in a series of impressive achievements for the university’s athletic department. In addition to the hard work of coaches and players, credit for the program’s success should also be given to its director, Stephen Downing.
At Marian, Downing oversees a department that has 22 different athletic teams with more than 400 athletes.
Currently, Downing is the only African-American athletic director in the NAIA conference. He noted that overall, there are more minority athletic administrators and coaches on the collegiate level now than in the past, but there is still more work that needs to be done to achieve diversity on the athletic management level.
“It hasn’t always been like it is now, but it’s still really hard for a lot of minorities,” Downing said.
Since Downing has taken the helm, Marian teams have made an even higher commitment to excellence, winning championships and high rankings in 14 sports.
“We operate this area like it’s a Division I program,” Downing said.
In addition, Downing has brought the administrative, fundraising and scheduling expertise he developed while managing Texas Tech University’s $40 million annual budget. Last year, for example, he organized a successful fundraiser for Marian featuring his longtime friend, former Indiana University basketball coach Bobby Knight in a rare return visit with several classic IU players.
Even more important to Downing is the time he takes with student athletes.
“I can be hard, but we have a lot of kids who may not have had much structure in their lives, and they want someone to help them develop that drive and discipline to succeed,” he said. “What I like about Marian is that it’s small enough for everyone to get to know each other on a personal basis and we have excellent professors. If a student is having academic trouble, I can work with that student and their professor so that they can reach their full potential.”
An Indianapolis native, Downing is serving in his second year as director of athletics for Marian. He was hired in August of 2011 after 10 years of working as senior associate director of athletics at Texas Tech.
Prior to that, Downing worked as associate director of athletics at Indiana University, Bloomington, for 22 years, creating a groundbreaking program that helps student athletes overcome drug, alcohol and personality disorders.
Downing said he was excited by the opportunity to work at Marian. His wife Doris, a Marian graduate who is now principal at Indian Creek Elementary School, also embraced the move.
“Coming to Marian provided a great opportunity to do what I always wanted to do, which is be an athletic director, and I was happy to return home to Indianapolis,” said Downing.
He also appreciates the university for placing a significant investment in sports and understanding the impact it has on the lives of student athletes.
“Athletics instills important life skills such as determination, discipline and sacrifice,” Downing said. “If you want to be successful in the workplace, those skills are essential.”
Before entering the education field, Downing had his own illustrious career as a star athlete. Many longtime Indianapolis residents remember Downing playing alongside George McGinnis on the exceptional Washington High School basketball team that won the state champion tournament in 1969.
Downing further demonstrated his abilities when he led coach Bobby Knight’s 1973 Indiana University team to the Final Four, and was named the Big Ten’s MVP that year. He was also part of the lineup of the Boston Celtics that won the 1974 NBA title.
Downing describes those achievements as a “great experience” and has used them as examples to inspire Marian students to aim high and reach their goals, both on and off the field.
Those who work with Downing say he is exactly what Marian’s athletic department needs at this time.
“I enjoy working with him because he treats us with respect and gives us the latitude to do what we think is best for our teams,” said Cassie Mackell, women’s tennis coach.
“He allows us to do our job, and is always very professional,” said Mike Holman, who coaches Marian’s track and field and cross country teams. “He has an open door policy where we are able to express our concerns at any time.”
Mackell, Holman, and cycling coach Dean Peterson, agreed that among Downing’s qualities is his focus on both academic and athletic achievement.
“He wants to see students excel in both areas,” said Peterson, who also directors the Indy Cycloplex at Major Taylor Velodrome. “With him coming from a background with traditional sports and being so giving of his time as he is to cycling is greatly appreciated. It shows the holistic approach he has to the program.”
