Dave Scott | Athletic Director
Dave Scott started his term as athletic director at the University of West Florida on May 21, 2008. During his time leading the department, UWF athletics has seen unprecedented growth while its teams continuing to enjoy success.
Scott's duties include managing daily operations, implementing strategic initiatives and developing athletic priorities with staff input. During his tenure as athletic director, the department has finished multiple large projects, including going through a visioning team process, completing a facilities master plan, and adding women’s swimming and diving as a varsity sport.
Scott came on as interim athletic director in 2008-09, and during his first year the Argonauts claimed five Gulf South Conference championships. He was named full-time athletic director on February 13, 2009.
The Argonauts have continued to succeed at the conference level with Scott at the helm, winning at least four GSC titles in each of his first four years. In 2011, UWF reached 59 GSC championships, passing Troy for the most all-time in the league’s history. The Argonauts continue to extend their all-time lead, and now stand at 64 entering the 2012-13 year.
UWF has also won the GSC women’s all-sports trophy each of Scott’s four years as athletic director, and in 2011-12 the Argos also won the men’s trophy, sweeping the awards for the first time under Scott and the third time in history.
The Argos have seen success at the national level under Scott’s watch, including the baseball team’s NCAA Division II national championship run in 2011. In each of Scott’s four seasons, at least one team has advanced to compete at the national level every year. Women’s soccer was a national runner-up in 2008 and semifinalist in 2009, baseball won the national title in 2011, women’s cross country advanced to the national finals in 2011, and men’s tennis was a national runner-up in 2012.
UWF has hosted multiple postseason tournaments during Scott’s tenure, including NCAA Division II national championships in men’s and women’s soccer in 2011 and women’s volleyball in 2012. UWF has also hosted regional competitions in baseball, women’s golf, women’s soccer, men’s tennis, and the department has also hosted GSC tournaments in men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball.
Scott has been employed at UWF since 1990, and in his over 20 years of service he has been actively involved with athletics. From 1994-2002, he was in charge of marketing and promotions for the department. He was also an integral part of the planning committee for the 2006 Division II Fall Sports Festival, which was hosted by UWF.
Scott graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from West Virginia University in May 1985. He then completed his master’s in Health, Leisure and Sports at the University of West Florida, finishing in August 1988.
Before moving back to athletics, Scott served as UWF’s director of recreation after many years as an assistant director. His duties included administration of a comprehensive and varied program of recreational activities designed to meet the needs of the university population. During this time, he was awarded the Student Affairs Award of Excellence twice, which recognizes staff for a commitment to outstanding service.
From September 1994 to September 2002, Scott worked directly with athletics as the marketing and promotions coordinator. He was involved in all areas of marketing and public relations. He developed a marketing guide, coordinated various promotions, organized group ticket sales and recruited potential sponsors.
Scott has a variety of other experiences that include coaching, teaching and media coordination. He was a department adjunct instructor during the 1990s, which included the team sports course, along with supervision of directed studies and internships. He also acted as the media coordinator for one of the original Pensacola Sports Festivals, in which he was involved in all aspects of public relations and publicity, by setting up interviews and promotions and coordinating sports information for the festival. Scott also acted as an assistant golf coach for one year. The golf team finished fourth at the NAIA National Championships under Scott's guidance.
Scott's service at the University of West Florida is vast, and he has been a part of several committees over the past several years, which include the following: the homecoming committee, athletics and recreation risk management committee, several search committees, freshman orientation, open house program and the sports officials association.
Scott has also an active member of the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA). He was an integral part of the Region II host committee in 1995 for NIRSA, and has published the NIRSA Special Events Manual. He also received the NIRSA Regional Award of Merit.
Scott is married to the former Carla Marek. Dave and Carla Scott have a nine year old daughter Kasey, while Dave also has an 18 year old daughter Chelsea who is currently attending the University of West Florida.
Argos Sponsors
