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Former FAMU AD Kortne Gosha to join Tulane as Senior Associate Athletic Director

Jim Henry, Tallahassee Democrat
·3 min read

Kortne Gosha will join Tulane University as its Senior Associate Athletic Director – less than three weeks after he suddenly resigned as Florida A&M's Vice President and Athletics Director.

Gosha, 33, will serve as operations and sports oversight for football and several Olympic sports for the Green Wave, which is a member of the American Athletic Conference and located in New Orleans.

The Democrat confirmed Gosha's hiring, which was first reported on social media by ESPN early Friday evening.

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FAMU COVERAGE

FAMU VP/Director of Athletics Kortne Gosha speaks to the crowd during the National Signing Day event at The Moon on Feb. 2, 2022.
FAMU VP/Director of Athletics Kortne Gosha speaks to the crowd during the National Signing Day event at The Moon on Feb. 2, 2022.

Gosha, 33, could not be reached for comment but sources confirmed he is in New Orleans and has previously met with school officials. Troy Dannen is in his seventh year as Tulane's' Athletics Director and oversee 14 sports at the private school.

FAMU football coach Willie Simmons pointed to Gosha's professionalism and character. He said he received numerous telephone calls following Gosha's resignation.

"I have talked to a number of people and the common theme everyone talked about is how well connected and respected he is in this profession," Simmons said Friday. "In my opinion he's a superstar in this profession and I think Tulane made a great hire."

Gosha is currently in an employment dispute with FAMU that could spill into the courtroom. He resigned from FAMU April 20.

Meeting performance incentives

Gosha has retained local attorney Marie A. Mattox to represent him for potential legal proceedings against the university. The university brought on Gray/Robinson, a Florida law firm independent of the university, to investigate his tenure.

In an exclusive interview with the Democrat earlier this week, Gosha refuted a report by the firm that indicated he violated university regulations and policies that warranted termination.

He described the Gray/Robinson report as “untruths, retaliatory conduct and partial information.”

Gosha was in the final months of his three-year contract that paid $200,000 annually.

According to Gosha's resignation agreement signed April 20, 2022, with FAMU, he is owed $98,850.58 for three months salary ($52,873.52) and accrued annual leave ($45,977.06). Gosha has also not been fully compensated for more than $50,000 for meeting his annual performance incentives, according to sources.

Gosha's annual incentives include meeting fundraising goals and revenue generated toward football and basketball game guarantees. The game guarantees totaled $4.5 million over Gosha's annual contract goal of $600,000, according to documents.

FAMU football head coach Willie Simmons speaks to the crowd about the new players on National Signing Day during an event at The Moon on Feb. 2, 2022.
FAMU football head coach Willie Simmons speaks to the crowd about the new players on National Signing Day during an event at The Moon on Feb. 2, 2022.

Future non-conference football games

Future non-conference football road games, for example, include North Carolina to open the 2022 season, Miami in 2024 and 2026, Florida in 2025 and reigning national champion Georgia in 2028. FAMU's payout for the two UM games is $1.5 million; the Georgia game is $650,000.

Gosha, who was hired at FAMU in 2019 from the University of Miami, is credited with helping strengthen the Rattlers' brand following years of fiscal challenges and instability.

The FAMU athletic director's office has had a revolving door over the past 10 years, featuring seven interim or permanent ADs.

FAMU President Larry Robinson named Michael Smith as interim athletic director when the university announced Gosha's resignation. Earlier this week Robinson also name an 18-person search committee to conduct a national search to find the school's next athletic director.

According to USA Today’s annual review of schools’ athletics revenue and expenses, FAMU’s total revenue has hovered between just under $7 million to $12.5 million from 2005 to the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

Reach Jim Henry at jjhenry@tallahassee.com.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Kortne Gosha hired by Tulane after abrupt resignation from FAMU