Meet the Athletic Director

Michael L. Covone has served with the Buccaneer Athletic Department since it’s inception in 1984, first as the head women’s soccer coach and later as an administrator.

One of the most respected leaders in college athletics, he currently serves on the NCAA Management Council as vice-chair. He also serves on the NCAA Division II Identity committee, the NCAA Budget & Finance Committee, the NCAA Community Advisory Task Force, and recently chaired the SSC Strategic Planning Committee, the NCAA South Regional Basketball Committee, and the SSC Basketball Tournament Committee. Covone served on the Miami Shores Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the NCAA Sportsmanship & Ethical Conduct Committee, the NCAA Championship/ Eligibility Project committee, the NCAA Women’s Soccer Committee, and chaired the Intercollegiate Soccer Association of America (ISAA) National Committee. In addition, Covone was the United States Olympic Development South Regional Coach from 1985 to 1991, and was on the USYSA National Staff from 1984 to 1993.

Covone guided the women’s soccer program to a 140-32-9 record in 11 seasons from 1984-94. The Bucs advanced to the NCAA Tournament seven times; had 11 consecutive winning seasons, including a berth in the 1987 NCAA Division I tournament. Barry played in the first six NCAA Division II finals, winning three titles in 1989, 1992 and 1993. The program produced 15 NSCAA All-Americans, two NCAA National “Players of the Year”, and nine scholar All-Americans during his tenure.

Covone has been honored for his work, winning the 2004-2005 General SportsTurf Systems "Athletic Director of the Year" for the Southeast Region. In addition, Covone was the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) National “Coach of the Year” in 1989 and 1991, and regional coach of the year in 1988, 1992 and 1993. In 1997 he was inducted into the Sunshine State Conference “Hall of Fame” for his work as a pioneer of women’s soccer and as an administrator.

Along with guiding the women’s soccer program to the summit of Division II, Covone also served as associate director of athletics from 1988-96 and executive associate director of athletics at Barry University from 1996-1998. In 1998, he became the third director of athletics in Barry history. As director, he has overseen the Buccaneers’ rise to national prominence as a department. The Bucs finished the 1997-98 athletic year ranked third overall in the prestigious Sears Director’s Cup competition and was the highest-ranked private institution in the country. Since then, the Bucs have finished as one of the top programs every year, and were again the top private institution in the country in 2003-2004.

From 1984 to 1998, Barry produced 53 All-Americans and 40 Scholar All-Americans. Since 1998 when Covone became Director of Athletics, there have been 107 All-Americans and 109 Scholar All-Americans, six NCAA “Women of the Year” finalists, five Florida NCAA “Women of the Year” award winners, an NCAA Walter Byers Scholarship recipient, three NCAA Post-graduate scholarship recipients and one NACDA Post-Graduate scholarship recipient. Barry University also won the 2001 and 2004 NCAA National Championships in volleyball and the 2007 men's golf national championship. In addition, Barry has captured 24 Sunshine State Conference titles and three Sunshine State Conference Mayor’s Cup trophies on the women's side and one on the men's side.

He has been a fixture in South Florida sports for many years. He serves on the prestigious Orange Bowl Committee and is Vice Chair of the Orange Bowl’s Youth Football League (YFL), and chair of the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic. He is also a member of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Sports Council and was involved in the South Florida Olympic Soccer Committee and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce “Hall of Champions” Committee. He helped bring the Super Bowl to Miami in 1999 as a member of the NFL Super Bowl Host Committee.

A native of Hialeah, Florida, Covone picked up two All-America awards while attending Miami-Dade North Community College and was selected as an alternate for the United States Olympic Team in 1980. After turning professional, he spent two years with the St. Louis Steamers and Phoenix Inferno of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He served one year as the men’s assistant coach at Miami-Dade South and won the NJCAA National Championship before coming to Barry to start the Buccaneer program in 1984. Covone received his Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Barry University.

While accomplishing many things within the community, he is also recognized for the continued development of the Barry University Athletic program. Since 1998, the athletic program has grown and continues to excel in academics and athletics. Listed below are several program highlights and additions since 1998:

• Continued the academic integrity of the athletic program – Academically, 2006-2007 was again one of the best years in the history of Barry University’s athletic program.

• Cumulative GPA’s of student-athletes have increased dramatically from a low of 29% in Spring ’92 to highs of 65.2% in Fall , '06, and 63.7% in Spring, '07. Term GPA’s of student-athletes have also seen tremendous increases from a low of 39.2% in Fall ’92 to highs of 66.8% in Fall, '06 and 63.4% in Spring, '07. In 27 of the last 28 semesters more than 50% of student-athletes earned term GPA’s of 3.0 or better. The number of Barry teams with average term/cumulative GPA's of 3.0 or better has ranged from a low of 1 out of 12 in Fall, '91 to a high of 10 out of 12 (83.3%) in Fall, '98. There were 10 of 12 teams above 3.0 in both the Fall, '06 and the Spring, '07.

• 2006-2007 -- Student-athletes once again set all-time records in academic performance reach extraordinary and unprecendented high of almost 67% with term GPA's of 3.0 or higher in the Fall, '06! Cumulative GPA's also peaked in that term at 65%! At most institutions, exceeding 50% is a challenging goal. Ten of 12 teams in three of the last four semesters achieved average team GPA's 3.0 or better and that quite make that mark, hovered between 2.9 and 3.0. NUmbers like these are almost unheard of in collegiate athletics, especially among institutions like Barry who are also ver competitive at the national level.

• Seven of 12 teams qualified for NCAA Post-season competition in 2006-07.

• Highest Graduation Rate of student-athletes in the Sunshine State Conference

• Launched new “Athletic Web” site – GoBarryBucs.com

• Launched electronic news letter -- BUC-E-NEWS

• Launched Internet Broadcast of Athletic events with Live Stats and audio broadcasts of athletic contest, eScores

• Added lights to four athletic fields (soccer, baseball, softball, campus recreation)

• Formalized corporate sponsorship agreements with Coca-Cola, Nike, Papa Johns, Boston Market, and other local establishments

• Increased total gifts to the department and has enjoyed increased media coverage every year

• Hosted NCAA Men’s & Women’s Soccer National Championships in 1999 & 2000 (only institution to host both championships at the same time, at the same site) and produce live web broadcast of all games

• Added the NCAA Champs/ Life Skills program

• Added the sport of Women’s Golf (12th sport overall)

• Received a “Perfect Score” from the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools (SACS) Accreditation visiting committee – No recommendations or suggestions.

• Enhancement of outdoor facilities with new bleachers on the softball & baseball fields, and two new tennis courts bringing the total to eight courts at the Tennis Center

To Friends of Barry Athletics:

Barry University, as a member of the Sunshine State Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, is responsible for ensuring that its coaches, student-athletes, faculty and staff, alumni, donors, boosters and friends abide by conference and NCAA regulations. Under those rules, alumni, donors, boosters and friends are categorized as “representatives of athletics interests” of Barry University. A “representative of Barry’s athletics interest” is thereby bound by the same rules and regulations as coaches and other athletics administrators and staff members. When violations occur, whether intentional or unintentional, Barry is responsible for these actions and ignorance of the rules cannot be used as an excuse. This web site provides a brief overview of the vast NCAA regulations and how inappropriate contact or inadvertent action may jeopardize the eligibility of the institution’s enrolled or prospective student-athletes. In an effort to help ensure that Barry University is in compliance with NCAA regulations, we have included some ”Do’s and Don'ts.”

Don’t be afraid to ask questions! All applicable situations cannot be covered on this site. Should you have any questions about what you, as a representative of Barry’s athletics interest, can and cannot do, please contact the compliance office. Your cooperation and support is greatly appreciated to help further the institution’s commitment to academic excellence and a competitive athletics program that complies with NCAA rules. Our success is truly a team effort.

Go Bucs!

The following quote, taken from the Knight Foundation’s Report on Intercollegiate Athletics, challenges alumni and friends to uphold and foster the ethics and integrity of the University and its intercollegiate athletics program.

“As a product of your institution, you have a critical role to play in safeguarding its reputation. University presidents, faculty members and members of governing boards come and go, but you remain. In the marketplace, the value of your degree is based on your institution’s reputation today, not the reputation it enjoyed when you were students. You can help protect the stake you hold in that degree by insisting that the athletics program is directed along ethical lines.”