Atwell has overseen the DU Athletics department since 2007, after serving in the same capacity at fellow Great Lakes Valley Conference member Quincy (Ill.) University.
In Atwell’s time at Drury, the Panther squads captured 13 NCAA-II national championships (12 by the swimming programs), and won a GLVC All-Sports Trophy in 2009-10 while finishing in the Top 30 of the Learfield Sports Director’s Cup all-sports competition in each of his seven years, with an 11th-place finish for 2013-14.
“As I said in my press conference on the day I was hired, ‘I enjoy winning games the right way,’ and we accomplished that during my tenure at Drury,” Atwell said. “We won multiple conference, regional and national championships with a group of student-athletes who consistently carried a GPA in the 3.30-3.40 range and represented our university and Division II in a first-class manner. I will cherish those memories. The job is about relationships with coaches, student-athletes, fans and constituents at the university, and these relationships will last a lifetime.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have led this athletic department, and am now looking forward to new endeavors.”
Said Drury President Dr. David Manuel, “We are grateful for the time Pat served at Drury and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Manuel announced that Scott Puryear, recently promoted to Associate AD For Marketing and Communications, will serve as the interim Director of Athletics while Drury begins an immediate and nationwide search to fill the position.