Daniel F. Mahony

Daniel F. Mahony was inducted into the College of Applied Human Sciences Hall of Fame in the fall of 2025. He was previously inducted into the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Hall of Fame in 2017 and was named the College’s Outstanding Alumnus in 2021.

Mahony earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Virginia Tech, a master’s degree in sport management from West Virginia University in 1990, and a doctorate in sport management from The Ohio State University in 1995. He began his career in public accounting with KPMG and in intercollegiate athletics as assistant ticket manager at the University of Cincinnati before transitioning to higher education.

Over the course of more than two decades in academia, Mahony has served in teaching and leadership roles across several major universities. At the University of Louisville, he advanced from program director and department chair to associate dean, assistant provost, and associate provost. In 2008, he was appointed dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Services at Kent State University, where he also served as professor of sport management. He became president of Winthrop University in 2015, leading the institution through a strategic planning process and campus-wide initiatives to improve enrollment and retention. In 2020, he was named president of the Southern Illinois University System, serving as professor and chief executive officer.

An active scholar, Mahony has published more than 60 peer-reviewed journal articles, authored several book chapters, and co-authored Economics of Sport. His research interests include sport consumer behavior and intercollegiate athletics. He is a North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Research Fellow and served as NASSM president from 2003 to 2004.

Mahony’s contributions have been recognized with numerous national awards, including the 2007 Earle F. Zeigler Award from NASSM for career research achievement, the 2015 McInnis/Ryan Award for Higher Education Leadership from the American Association of University Administrators, the 2018 Academic Achievement in Sport and Entertainment Award from Sport and Entertainment Venues Tomorrow, and the 2020 Charles Whitcomb Service Award from the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association. In 2015, Kent State University created the Daniel Mahony Award for Social Responsibility in his honor, recognizing his leadership in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. He was also inducted into the Pi Kappa Alpha Order of the West Range in 2018.