University of Massachusets Athletics
John Blihar Named Director Of Recreation
August 19, 2011 | General
Aug. 19, 2011
AMHERST, Mass. - UMass Athletic Director John McCutcheon announced on Thursday the hiring of John Blihar as Director of Campus Recreation. Blihar most recently served as Associate Director for Facilities and Operations at Florida State University. He replaces Zulma Garcia, who retired last November, and will oversee all operations of UMass' recreation, wellness and fitness, intramurals, and athletic sport club programs. This includes oversight of UMass' 120,000-square-foot, $50 million Recreation Center.
"We are very pleased that John has joined us," McCutcheon said. "He brings a wealth of experience and will be an outstanding addition to our recreation, club sport and intramural programs, as well as providing professional management of our wonderful new Recreation Center."
Blihar will direct one of the nation's most comprehensive and inclusive Recreation programs which serves a student body of over 27,000 students and provides sport and fitness services for students, faculty, staff 
and associate members, as well as encourages an active, healthy lifestyle,
and promotes student development and leadership.
"I am really excited to become part of the UMass family," Blihar said. "I am very impressed by the quality of all the programs in Campus Recreation and the commitment of the staff to provide the students, faculty and staff of UMass with a first-class recreational experience."
Blihar oversaw all administrative support services and facilities operation of the Florida State Recreation Department from 2003-10. This included direct oversight of all financial reporting, contracts, and revenue generating capabilities in the department.
Prior to Florida State, Blihar worked for one year at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W.V. where he served as a professor in the Recreation/Leisure Studies program.
That followed over five years at Penn State where Blihar served as Facility Coordinator for the Athletic Department. With the Nittany Lions, Blihar managed a 285,552-square-foot facility that included a 6,000-seat arena, weight rooms, auxiliary gyms, locker rooms, and offices. He also assisted in the administration of Penn State's comprehensive intramural program.
Blihar has Bachelor of Science degree in History from Wilkes College (Pa.) in 1980 and in Physical Education from the University of Delaware in 1987. He earned his Master of Science in Physical Education in 1990 from Syracuse University. Blihar is a Certified Recreation Sports Specialist with the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association.
