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Tom Moreland didn’t come to Toledo to rebuild Rocket Athletics. He came to build on it.
The University of Toledo’s new vice president and director of athletics arrives after serving as chief commercial officer at the University of Illinois, bringing experience in fundraising, fan engagement and the rapidly changing world of college athletics. But rather than inheriting a program searching for an identity, Moreland steps into a department with championship expectations, passionate fans and student-athletes who believe the Rockets are already among the Mid-American Conference’s best.
For Moreland, that made his decision to come to Toledo an easy one.
“It always starts with people,” Moreland said. “We have a world-class organization here, great leadership and a community that cares deeply about our students and student-athletes.”
That sense of community, combined with Toledo’s tradition of success, convinced Moreland that the Rockets can consistently compete for conference championships across all 17 varsity sports while continuing to provide what he describes as a world-class student-athlete experience.
“It’s a university and it’s a community. It’s a city where relationships really matter,” Moreland said.
That confidence already exists inside the locker room.
Football senior Cooper Rusk believes Toledo has established itself as one of the MAC’s premier athletic departments.
“The support from our fans is first-class in the MAC,” Rusk said. “What we have here is unlike any school in the conference.”
But Rusk believes Toledo shouldn’t simply be satisfied with where it stands today.
“We are on another level compared to our conference,” he said. “We cannot be afraid to act like it.”
Building on a strong foundation
For Moreland, sustaining that success starts with communication.
A former Division I baseball player at the University of Iowa, he said the lessons he learned as a student-athlete continue to shape the way he leads today. He wants athletes to know who he is, feel comfortable approaching him and trust that the athletic department is invested in their success.
“The one theme you’ll see in every successful organization is communication,” Moreland said. “Our student-athletes can expect to see me a lot, to know me on a personal level, and I’ll know them on a personal level.”
He also isn’t afraid to lead with transparency.
“Some people may say, ‘You’re too transparent, you’re too trusting.’ I’m okay with that,” Moreland said. “I think transparency and trust are what build relationships.”
That philosophy resonates with junior women’s basketball player Evalyse Cole, who said the support she’s received at Toledo reaches far beyond game day.
“Our fans support us on the court and off the court,” Cole said. “Being so far away from my family, those relationships have made Toledo feel like home.”
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Moreland said creating that sense of belonging is one of the department’s greatest responsibilities.
“When they decide to come to the University of Toledo, they are a part of the Toledo family,” he said. “And when they leave UT, they will always be a part of that family.”
As Toledo continues investing in its student-athletes, Cole believes the future Champions Complex will further strengthen that experience.
“It will grow and improve the overall student-athlete experience,” she said. “It’s going to be an amazing addition.”
Redshirt junior volleyball player Sierra Pertzborn also sees continued investment as a key to Toledo’s future.
“The new athlete center and improvements to our facilities will take the university to the next level,” Pertzborn said.
Moreland says the Champions Complex is one of the department’s biggest priorities because it will benefit every student-athlete on campus.
“It will undoubtedly have a positive impact on all of our student-athletes on a daily basis,” he said. “Our student-athletes are excited about it, and so is our community.”
Looking ahead
While college athletics continues to evolve through NIL, revenue sharing and the transfer portal, Moreland believes Toledo’s greatest advantage won’t come from chasing every trend. Instead, he wants the department to continue investing in the people who make Rocket Athletics successful.
“We’re in the experience business,” Moreland said. “Certainly, the top of that list is the student-athlete experience.”
He also hopes to strengthen relationships with alumni, donors and fans while making Toledo one of the best places to work in collegiate athletics.
That people-first approach is something Pertzborn believes will continue paying dividends.
“With the right people, that number will only continue to climb,” she said, referring to Toledo’s conference championships across multiple sports.
Five years from now, Moreland hopes Toledo continues to be recognized not only for winning championships, but for how it treats the people wearing midnight blue and gold.
“When people talk about our athletics department,” he said, “I want them to say we’re competing for championships every year, we care deeply about our student-athletes and we operate with the highest degree of integrity.”
For Moreland, championships, facilities and fan support all matter. But if there’s one measure of success he hopes defines his tenure, it’s something much simpler.
“We’re going to win with our relationships,” he said.
