Tom Jurich is coming home.
The University of Louisville was so much more than a job for Tom Jurich. He fell in love with the campus, the people who follow the Cardinals, and the community in which he was able to generate so much financial support for many improvements. To this day Louisville supporters take great pride in everything that occurred on his watch.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg has announced that Tom will be honored this Saturday, June 28 at 10 a.m. on Floyd Street near the softball stadium. The section of Floyd Street that run through the campus is expected to be named Tom Jurich Way. The public is invited to what should be a joyful occasion.
Returning to the heart of this community, the University of Louisville campus where he made so many milestones possible during his 20-year tenure at the school. Many of them unexpected, unprecedented, unimaginable for some of his predecessors.
All the new or expanded facilities, including the KFC Yum! Center, Jim Patterson Stadium, L&N Cardinal Stadium, Dan Ulmer Softball Stadium, the Thornton Center for Academic Excellence, the Mark & Cindy Lynn soccer stadium, the lacrosse facility, the basketball practice facility and others. Some great coaching hires, including Dan McDonnell and Jeff Walz who are still around. Admission into the prestigious Atlantic Coast Conference after drifting in and out of 10 difference conferences over decades.
Under his leadership, the athletic department was a source of pride for Belknap Campus, an example of what UofL could accomplish with visionary and strong management. Much of the school’s growth over the past two decades was probably an indirect result of success on the athletic front.
A blow to the community and the school when Tom was dismissed in 2016 by the Board of Trustees. For no justifiable reasons as a court later determined. A board headed by financier David Grissom, which included John Schnatter, disgraced former owner of Papa John Pizza. Two individuals with few ties to the university, no appreciation for how far the university had advanced in such a short period. Some suspect that Kentucky politics may have been involved, with supporters of former Governor Matt Bevin pulling some strings. For whatever reason, his removal was not justified. It has taken a decade for UofL to recover.
Much more than a job, UofL was home for Jurich. His son Mark played on the UofL baseball team and later joined the athletic department. Mark was credited with generating financial support for the UofL Center for Academic Excellence. Tom’s daughters, Lacey and Haley, are UofL graduates as well and played on the women’s soccer team. Their families still reside in Louisville and Tom and wife Terrilynn visit their children and grand kids often. He also stays in close touch with numerous friends.
Greenberg deserves a lot of credit for making it possible to honor an individual who has done so much for the university and the community. As do new University of Louisville President Gerry Bradley and current Athletic Director Josh Heird. Credit, too, to John Ramsey, a city employee, sports commentator and close friend of Jurich, for pushing the Jurich homecoming for several years.
“Tom has made such contributions to the city,” said Greenberg. “I’m very thrilled that U of L was supportive of this and participating with us in this recognition. So this is an opportunity for everybody who has benefited from Tom’s contributions that he made to our city to recognize him in a really fun, unique way.”
UofL fans have a unique opportunity to welcome Tom Jurich home with welcome arms. To once again thank Tom for everything he did for Louisville. And hopefully rub shoulders with a fellow fan at many University of Louisville events in the future.
