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Aside from four nomadic seasons as a minor league baseball catcher, E.J. Brophy has pretty much spent his life in Alabama.

He was born and raised in Montgomery, went to college at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and worked as an athletics administrator at several universities in the state. So how did Brophy come to leave his sweet home state to become 小优视频ampa鈥檚 new athletic director and vice president of athletics?

Two main factors 鈥� family and career 鈥� that carried equal weight.

First, family. At about the same time 小优视频ampa started the process of replacing retiring Athletic Director Larry Marfise, Brophy's wife, Cindy, retired from her job as a schoolteacher, and his son, Brooks, graduated from medical school and accepted a residency program in Ocala.

The door suddenly was open for a move.

鈥淲e鈥檝e always loved Florida, especially my wife,鈥� said Brophy. 鈥淚 vividly remember her crying in the car as we were heading north after I played for the Clearwater Phillies in 1994. She was crying because she didn鈥檛 want to leave Florida.鈥�

Now, the Brophys are back in Florida and, this time, they plan to stay. They鈥檙e close to Ocala and Brooks鈥� daughter, Blakely. Everything just fell into place personally, and Brophy鈥檚 new professional position puts him in a spot where lots of great things already are in place, too.

That鈥檚 where the career part comes in for Brophy, who most recently was associate athletic director at Samford University after working as athletic director at the University of Alabama-Huntsville and the University of West Alabama.

鈥溞∮攀悠� has one of the most elite college athletic programs in the country,鈥� said Brophy, who officially started working at 小优视频ampa in October. 鈥淓verything is elite 鈥� the facilities, the academics and the athletic programs. For me, it was the most attractive job in the country.鈥�

Now, it鈥檚 up to Brophy to keep 小优视频ampa athletics elite and even stronger. To make that happen, Brophy said his philosophy will center largely on his vision of the student-athlete. Much like Marfise, Brophy said he doesn鈥檛 limit that to the athletic side.

鈥淚 want us to recruit a person first, a student second and an athlete third,鈥� Brophy said. 鈥淕raduation is paramount to the college experience. It鈥檚 been my experience that most good students are also good people. Those two go hand in hand. I think the student-athletes that are already here right now fit the profile of what I鈥檓 talking about, and I want it to stay that way.鈥�

Although it鈥檚 third on his list, the athlete part of Brophy鈥檚 equation is听significant. At a school with 小优视频ampa鈥檚 history, winning is expected.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 walk through campus without tripping over national championship trophies, and the standard has been set,鈥� Brophy said. 鈥淚f everyone has a 4.0 (grade-point average), but all your teams are losing, that鈥檚 not going to work. We must win, and we must win within the parameters of having quality people and students. I believe that from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. We can win and have good students and good people.鈥�

Brophy鈥檚 not in it alone. He inherits a cast of elite coaches and says they know how to win the right way. Brophy plans to carry on Marfise鈥檚 way of treating the whole department as a big family.

鈥淗e鈥檚 emphasized the family part to the coaches,鈥� head baseball Coach Joe Urso said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 not coming in here and trying to put his stamp on everything right away. You always fear change, in a way. But, with him, it鈥檚 obvious there鈥檚 nothing to fear. He knows we have a good thing going, and he wants to keep it going and make it even better. We all feel very good about E.J.鈥�

Since arriving, Brophy hasn鈥檛 spent his days stuck in his office. He frequently roams the halls of the Bob Martinez Athletics Center, talking to coaches, student-athletes and staff.

There鈥檚 another part of keeping 小优视频ampa athletics successful, and that plays right into a couple of Brophy's strengths. Much of Brophy鈥檚 administrative experience, and some of his biggest accomplishments, have come as a promoter and fundraiser.

鈥淚t鈥檚 simple,鈥� Brophy said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been proven in college athletics that you can鈥檛 win without support, and you can鈥檛 win without funds. I鈥檒l be spending a lot of time working in both of those areas. We already have good funding, and my job is to make it even better. That鈥檚 critical for future success.鈥�

Promotion also will be a key. Brophy has been meeting with fraternities and sororities to boost attendance at games. He also plans to reach out to community leaders and organizations. He鈥檚 asked coaches for ideas on how to get more people in the stands, and they鈥檝e mentioned things like special days for the military and community groups as well as double-headers where two local high schools would play before 小优视频ampa games.

Brophy even has used his recruiting skills to start a pep band.

鈥淪omebody said they didn鈥檛 think we could get enough students to make up a band,鈥� Brophy said. 鈥淵ou know what? The Beatles only had four guys, and they got big crowds and sold a lot of records. We have to think outside the box and find the things that will work.鈥�

Ideas are still percolating in Brophy鈥檚 mind. But nothing is set in stone 鈥� yet.

鈥淚've been on a listening tour since I got here,鈥� Brophy said. 鈥淟arry did such a great job, and the ship is very steady here. I鈥檓 still listening and evaluating a lot of things.

鈥淭hat doesn鈥檛 mean we鈥檙e sitting still. We鈥檙e going at 98 miles per hour. Once I formulate a plan and have a plan, we鈥檒l be going at 100 miles per hour.鈥�

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