It’s a milestone year for Thomas More University’s longtime steward Terry Connor, who has coached the Saints’ men’s basketball team, undertaken the role of athletics director and added the title of university vice president to his lengthy resume.
It’s Connor’s 25th year as Thomas More athletics director. He became the school’s first full-time AD in 2006. He coached the basketball team for eight years. It’s his first year as a Thomas More vice president. It’s the school’s first season at the NCAA Division II level. He has successfully continued the Connor legacy at the school where his father Jim Connor served as head baseball and basketball coach as well as athletics director and is the namesake for Connor Convocation Center.
In Terry Connor’s time as AD, the Saints have moved from NCAA Division III to the NAIA then jumped to NCAA Division II, transitions made at breakneck speed over a span of the last six years. Through it all, the Saints kept winning.
Under Terry Connor’s watch, Thomas More has had at least one team advance to the national tournament every year. The women’s basketball team won the NCAA Division III national championship in 2016 and 2019 and the NAIA national title in 2022. Under Connor’s direction, there have been five national champions including one individual champion, more than 130 conference championships and more than 90 national tournament appearances at Thomas More.
Connor, who lives in Covington, has made a lifelong investment in Thomas More. Three of his brothers graduated from the school. Connor is a 1992 Thomas More graduate. His wife, Michelle, is a 1994 grad. Their daughter, Jalee, graduated from the school in 2020. Son Braden graduated from Thomas More in 2021. The late Jim Connor came to Thomas More in 1978.
There has been a lot written about Terry Connor over the years. Most recently, he was publicized for being awarded the Dr. James Claypool Pioneer Award bestowed upon a deserving Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame member.
Highlighted were the many Thomas More athletic upgrades and accomplishments under Connor’s direction including more than doubling the number of athletic programs from 14 to 30, including 23 NCAA programs and seven intercollegiate programs accounting for close to 800 students. Also documented was the latest move to the NCAA Division II’s Great Midwest Athletic Conference, and the addition of several new facilities including an all-purpose football venue housing offices, locker rooms, press boxes, concession stands and restrooms. A track was added soon after and a new surface was installed in 2020.
The school partnered with the independent baseball league Florence Y’alls to rechristen the newly-named Thomas More Stadium so that it also hosted Saints home baseball games beginning this year. Over the summer, the Connor Convocation Center basketball court was resurfaced. The softball field will be renovated and ready for 2024.
Before Thomas More, Connor was an assistant high school basketball coach at Bishop Brossart and Dixie Heights. He graduated from St. Henry High School where he played baseball and basketball before playing baseball for four years for his father at Thomas More.
Jim Connor played sports and graduated from Newport High School in 1940. He also played sports at St. Bernard Junior College in Alabama, and Villa Madonna College before the school changed its name to Thomas More. He coached baseball and basketball at Newport Central Catholic and Boone County. He coached baseball and was the athletic director at Bellarmine University, where he was inducted into the college’s athletics hall of fame.
I wanted to find out about some things that haven’t been written about Terry Connor while getting an updated take from him on Thomas More’s recent changes and future athletic endeavors. Here is what he had to say.
QUESTION: One of my first stories covering Thomas More was in one of your first seasons as men’s basketball coach and I wrote about Corey Grace for The Kentucky Post. That was 22 years ago. The one thing that stuck with me the whole time is you were both the basketball coach and athletic director for eight years. Your father was coach of two teams while being AD for longer than that. It’s something from a bygone age. Can you even imagine what it would be like now to be both the head men’s basketball and baseball coach and AD at the same time like your father.
ANSWER: My father was a special man who dedicated his life to coaching. I could not imagine the amount of work today to try and do all of those jobs. There is so much paperwork and reporting along with all other medical, health, and wellbeing aspects that we are tasked to deal with that doing all those jobs would be overwhelming.
Q: Jeff Rogers was the head coach when the men’s basketball team made a turnaround beginning in 2009-10. He had the highest career winning percentage in Thomas More men’s basketball history until Justin Ray came along. Before Rogers, the Saints had an all-time program record of 626-872 for a .417 winning percentage. Since Rogers’ first year, the men have a 284-120 record for a .702 winning percentage including a nice run by Drew Cooper. That’s an incredible turnaround, sustained over three coaching tenures going on 15 years. All that doesn’t happen unless you step away from coaching and become a very effective full-time AD. Is it fair to say those first couple years making the transition away from coaching gave you mixed emotions?
A: At first, I think stepping away was hard. But trying to do all that needed to be done, not just for basketball, but all programs, becoming the full-time AD was the best move. When Sister Margaret Stallmeyer gave me that opportunity, I was excited to move forward. The coaches that we hired came in and did a great job with the program, and we were also able to get all of our sports operating at a high level.
Q: Three of the 13 men’s basketball teams in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference have head coaches who are current or former Thomas More head coaches: Thomas More’s Justin Ray, Kentucky Wesleyan’s Drew Cooper and Ashland’s John Ellenwood. Kentucky Wesleyan and Ashland are scheduled to visit Connor Convocation Center this season and you’ll be seeing plenty of home games yourself. That means this winter five of the last seven Saints men’s basketball coaches over the last 45 years, including your father, will have a presence at Thomas More games over the next four months at the venue named after your father. Having had a lot to do with that coaching tree, what do you think about those facts presented that way.
A: Wow, that is interesting. I never looked at it that way. It will be special to see and be a part of that. Some very good teams and excellent coaches who have sustained success.
Q: Do you envision a day when there is a basketball arena on campus and Connor Convocation Center becomes a secondary venue, similar to what happened at NKU when Regents Hall was usurped by what is now known as Truist Arena?
A: A change of that magnitude is not something I see on the horizon. We have a wonderful venue in the Connor Convocation Center that meets the needs of a university our size.
Q: What’s the possibility Thomas More will eventually move to Division I?
A: At this time, we are focusing our efforts on the move to D-2, and we look forward to competing in the Great Midwest, which is a high-level D-2 conference.
Q: How likely is it that we’ll see Thomas More and NKU play each other again in men’s basketball? I think the area would salivate over the possibility of an annual Crosstown Showdown of its own, ala Cincinnati vs. Xavier. A huge annual game like that would go a long way toward helping the area carve an identity of its own, making it bigger than basketball. Your thoughts?
A: If it is a fit for Thomas More and NKU, I think that would be a great experience for the Northern Kentucky community; possibly turn it into a men’s and women’s doubleheader. NKU has grown and accomplished great things in Division I, being a part of March Madness. It would be an exciting opportunity for Thomas More to play them again.
Q: If you could make a personal sales pitch to potentially big donors about the ongoing Thomas More University fundraising campaign, what would you say?
A: The Second Century Campaign – It’s Time For More, continues to surpass goals. Through the support of this capital campaign, there will be academic, administrative, and physical changes to support student success. Thomas More is a special place providing a high-quality, mission-driven education and graduating people that go on to make this community and the world a better place. We understand and act on our responsibilities to others. We find strength in our community.
Q: There has been a host of others helping shepherd Thomas More athletics into the future, including baseball coach and associate AD Jeff Hetzer. Talk a little bit about them and any others that you’d like to highlight.
A: Thomas More has certainly grown over the years, and we have exceptional people who have contributed. You don’t turn out the graduates that we have and compete and win at the level we have without outstanding people. Jeff Hetzer was my first hire in 2000. He is our all-time winningest baseball coach and now serves as associate AD. Without him, this doesn’t happen. Also, Lindsay Eagen, who is our softball head coach and SWA, and Cory Blackson, former SID and now compliance director. I also recognize former coaches who did the heavy lifting. Some of our current coaches have experienced transitions at three levels. The one who stands out is Jeff Hans, our women’s basketball coach, who has accomplished more than most ever accomplish in a lifetime, and he still has more to do. None of that is possible without the leadership of the university and its past presidents. Our current president, Joe Chillo, has helped guide our Division II transition and is propelling the university forward with innovation and agility into its second century.
Thomas More is a special place. I met my wife Michelle here at Thomas More. We have been married 29 years. We lived on the west side of Cincinnati for 27 years and my daughter Jalee went to Seton High School and played soccer, basketball and swam. She then went to Thomas More and played softball and lacrosse. She is currently a pre-school teacher at St. Vivian in Finneytown, Ohio, and is married to Brendon Taylor. My son Braden went to Elder High School and played baseball and basketball. He played baseball for a year and basketball for four years at Thomas More. He then went to the College of Charleston and was a graduate assistant on staff with coach Pat Kelsey. After two years as a GA, he is now full-time on the basketball staff.
Q: Speaking of family, describe your early home life. What was young Terry Connor into?
A: I was born in Louisville when my dad was at Bellarmine University. I grew up in Boone County and of course was around sports as my dad was at Boone County High School at the time. I remember the Boone County fight song when the players sang it on the bus. A hoop was in our front yard and a tee with batting net in the back yard. I tried to emulate Pete Rose and Rod Carew in their batting stance. I loved to collect baseball cards.
Q: What kinds of activities did you participate in while growing up, and where did you hang out? How did you get around?
A: I was at Boone County High School a lot for baseball and basketball games. Boone County had the first lights at a high school in Northern Kentucky. I played baseball and practiced at Ockerman Middle School with summer teams. I went with a team on a trip to Reds spring training in Florida and played on a team with Bob Boone’s son, Pete Rose’s son, Steve Carlton’s son among some others and didn’t realize then how special it was. Rob Millay was one of my best friends and we hung out in the neighborhood all the time. It was always special to go to Reeve’s ice cream shop. It’s called Filmore’s now. My first car was a 1977 Ford Maverick. I’ll never forget it. I loved that car.
Q: Who were your favorite athletes growing up?
A: Favorite player all-time was Pete Rose, but I loved Rod Carew also. Basketball of course was Dave Cowens from Newport Central Catholic. I’m still a big Celtics fan.
Q: Who was the first well-known athlete you met in person?
A: I think it was Pete Rose. I think the one that stands out though is when I met Larry Brid prior to a Celtics game in Indiana versus the Pacers. Thomas More had played a game vs. IUPUI in Market Square Arena where the Pacers play. The Celtics’ locker room was next to Thomas More’s. Dave Cowens helped set that game up. I was watching the Celtics come in and Rick Robey signed for me. Then Larry Bird came in and I asked for his autograph and he said, ‘Yeah, later kid.’ I still don’t have it, so he owes me one.
Q: When you were growing up and going to high school and college, what did you like to read?
A: I liked Sports Illustrated and The Kentucky Post. I liked to keep up on the Major League Baseball division races in the paper. I was a history major and I was always reading a World War II magazine.
Q: What are some of your favorite movies?
A: Favorite non-sports movie is Saving Private Ryan. My father landed at Normandy six days after the invasion. My favorite sports movie is Field of Dreams.
Q: Your mother seems to be the unsung hero in your family. She certainly has received less publicity than you and your father. What do you want people to know about your mom?
A: Mom was the strength in our family. She had six boys and a girl and had to make sure we all got to our athletic events and any other places. Mom made sure we had what we needed and was always there for all of us. Mom had to drop out of school during the Great Depression and work for her father’s roofing company. Later, she got her GED and graduated from Thomas More the same year I did in 1992. Mom led by example and was very tough and determined in a strong yet classy way. She was a proud woman and encouraged us in all that we did. She was proud of dad’s accomplishments and her children’s accomplishments. Mom was a very strong Catholic. Her faith was extremely important to her. She sang in the choir at Mother of God Church for over 40 years. She loved the Rosary and volunteered at the Holy Spirit Center and painted statues with the training she received at Thomas More.