By JOE DRAPE and KATIE THOMAS
c.2010 New York Times News Service
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – He has a budget of almost $95 million, growing fast, and command of three private planes. He oversees a newly renovated and certified green building as well as nearly a dozen other tricked-out facilities that are among the most prized on campus.
Even as the University of Florida cuts faculty and budgets, its athletic director, Jeremy Foley, has been expanding a formidable empire dedicated to winning championships, not just in football and men’s basketball but in 19 other sports.
The softball coach makes a quarter of a million dollars a year. When Foley decided to start a lacrosse program for women, he built a $15 million complex for them before they ever played a game.