Garnett Purnell, who has served three years as director of athletics at Morgan State University, an NCAA Division I-AA institution in Baltimore, has been selected director of athletics and recreation at Wittenberg University, Provost Sammye Greer announced.

He begins his new duties Aug. 1. Purnell replaces Carl Schraibman who announced his decision to step down earlier this year. Schraibman has served as the school’s director of athletics since 1992.

“We believe we have found a person of integrity who brings outstanding experience to Wittenberg,” Greer said. “He was greeted with enthusiasm by the search committee and others who met him during his visit to campus.”

The Wittenberg athletic tradition Purnell inherits is one of NCAA Division III’s strongest. Schraibman is credited with continuing to strengthen that tradition and achieving a more balanced participation of male and female athletes.

“I am confident that under Garnett’s leadership we will continue our extraordinary athletic tradition,” said Wittenberg President Baird Tipson.

“We had an exceptional group of finalists, but with his background in coaching and administration, everyone involved agreed that Garnett was right for this challenge.”

“Garnett has outstanding interpersonal skills and will be a strong advocate for intercollegiate athletics,” Greer added.

“We know he will have a strong presence in the community and are confident, after extensive conversations with him and those who know him, that he has a deep understanding of Division III athletics as well as Wittenberg’s educational mission.”

“The opportunity at Wittenberg is a great one for my family and me, and we are happy to be returning to Ohio where we lived for 10 years,” Purnell said.

“I am thrilled to be joining Wittenberg University, which by anyone’s standards is one of the finest athletic programs in the nation.

The exciting part is there is so much potential to be even more successful. I would like to see Wittenberg challenge for the Sears Director’s Cup (the all-sports trophy in college athletics).

“My profession is athletic administration and from my perspective it doesn’t matter what level I am at, and Wittenberg is a special place.

My family and I are also looking forward to getting back to an area I am familiar with and becoming a part of the Springfield community. My wife and I were married in Xenia and our first child was born there,” he said.

Purnell comes to Wittenberg with an extensive background in intercollegiate athletics. He will be returning to Southwest Ohio where he began his coaching and administrative career in athletics.

Purnell served six years as a Compliance Representative with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) prior to moving to Morgan State.

He was also at the University of Cincinnati for seven years serving as assistant athletics director for compliance and student services and assistant athletics director for academic services.

Purnell also brings with him a coaching background that includes five years at Central State University as an assistant football and basketball coach.

A native of Philadelphia, Purnell received his bachelor’s degree from Cheyney University in 1973 and his master’s degree from the University of Dayton in 1984.

During the past seven years under Schraibman’s leadership Wittenberg won a total of 27 North Coast Athletic Conference team championships and won the league’s all-sports title in 1996.

Purnell and his wife, Sally, have three children: Lauren, 14, Luke, 11, and Leslie, 9.