St. Edward High School Hires New Athletic Director

LAKEWOOD, Ohio – St. Edward has won 31 state championships on Paul Michalko's watch and after fifteen years, he's decided to move on.

“When you get to a certain age you’re always thinking about what’s coming next,” Michalko, told Cleveland.com. “It’s time to do something different.”

St. Edward has chosen Kevin Hickman to be the school's new athletic director the school announced on their website. While Hickman does have large shoes to fill, he comes to St. Eds with an impressive resume.

Hickman served as an athletic administrator at Mater Dei High School in California and Bishop Gorman High School in Nevada and prior to that, he played tight end for the Detroit Lions from 1995-1998. While Assistant Principal of Athletics and Student Services at Mater Dei, the school was recognized by U.S.A. Today as a top athletic program in the nation.

"We are looking forward to Mr. Hickman building on the great success we've enjoyed at St. Ed's," said St. Edward President Jim Kubacki in a press release. "What impressed us most was his commitment to servant leadership and the approach he takes to helping every coach, colleague and student with whom he works become the best they can be."

Hickman played football for the Naval Academy before being drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1995. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina and a Masters of Arts in Education at the American InterContinental University. He is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Education, Sports Management and Leadership at North Central University.

"It's an honor to be part of the St. Edward Community, and the long and rich tradition of success they have had," said Hickman in a statement. "I look forward to serving the young men of St. Ed's with the Administration, Faculty & Staff, and Coaches as the next Athletic Director. I can't wait to get started."