Another high-ranking Winthrop athletics official is leaving the school
Another young up-and-comer is leaving the Winthrop athletic department’s administration.
A little over three months after his colleague of three years left for an athletics administration job at a Big Ten school, Winthrop interim athletic director Hank Harrawood has decided to move on, too. Harrawood, 36, is taking a job at the Knipp Law Office in Charlotte.
His last day at Winthrop will be Oct. 15.
“I’ve enjoyed my time at Winthrop and appreciate all the support that I’ve gotten from colleagues, friends and people on campus and in the community,” Harrawood said in a statement to The Herald. “I’ve decided to step away from Winthrop to pursue an opportunity in the private sector. And I wish Winthrop continued success.”
Harrawood has served as the Rock Hill university’s interim AD since late July 2021, after Ken Halpin left for Purdue. Before that, he worked alongside Halpin as Winthrop’s deputy athletic director, serving as the liaison to the NCAA for various compliance matters and as the supervisor for the day-to-day operations for the Winthrop athletic department since 2018.
Harrawood has nine years of experience in college athletics administration, including stints at Charlotte, Florida International and Louisiana-Monroe.
The University declined to comment on Harrawood’s departure and on matters related to Winthrop’s search for a full-time athletic director.
The news marks the latest splash in a series of departures within Winthrop athletics. In an interview with The Herald after the announcement of his departure to Purdue, Halpin estimated that Winthrop athletics had lost 30% of its workforce — most of whom left during the pandemic and weren’t replaced because of a university-wide de facto hiring freeze. Among those positions unfilled: various assistant coaches, lead recruiters and “high-achievers” who left “high-achieving vacancies.”
“All of our coaches who are dealing with a vacant assistant right now are still having to perform at a Winthrop level with Winthrop expectations,” Halpin told The Herald in July. “That’s the hard part.”
Winthrop is simultaneously searching for a new University President. George Hynd has served in the role since 2020 and has been faced with challenges that include teaching virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a dip in enrollment, employee furloughs and the elimination of the school’s tennis programs.
Editor’s note: A previous version of the article incorrectly stated which year George Hynd began his tenure as Winthrop’s interim president. He began serving in his role in 2020, not 2019.
This story was originally published October 12, 2021 at 2:58 PM.
.jpeg)