Durham College’s new athletic director does not have to move far, as he is shifting from the Ontario Tech side to the DC side.
At the 2023 athletics banquet, it was announced that Scott Dennis, the former manager of intercollegiate athletics at Ontario Tech University, will take over the role of athletics director from Ken Babcock.
Dennis was given an introduction by Babcock close to the end of the event, after an emotional segment focusing on Babock’s retirement and career with Durham College, which included his time on the varsity basketball team more than 40 years ago.
Babcock says Dennis will succeed in the role and “has a good understanding” of both college and university athletics, considering his experience. He is also “proud” that Dennis will be taking over the role.
Dennis was originally hired by Babcock twice during his college athletics career. Once with the Ontario Colleges Athletics Association, and then again with Durham College.
Dennis spent three years as part of the OCAA’s central offices as a sports services coordinator and marketing and communications coordinator.
He later moved to the Durham College and Ontario Tech campus as the sports information and marketing coordinator, before becoming Ontario Tech’s first manager of intercollegiate athletics in June of 2018.
Dennis was also involved with the OUA’s marketing and communications committee, and was an executive member of both the Canadian College Athletics Association and Ontario College Athletics Association, serving as the vice president of marketing for the CCAA from 2015 to 2017.
He served as the vice-president of marketing for the OCAA from 2010 to 2015. He is also a board member for the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame and Baseball Oshawa.
Dennis also hosts a show on RogersTV titled “The Sports Report with Scott Dennis,” where he covers all different types of sports within the Durham Region, mainly focusing on interviews and unique sports stories rather than updates and highlights.
In the athletic director role, Dennis says “Ken has been a mentor to me for 15 years so I’m more just looking forward to building on his legacy.
Dennis said “one thing that Dave Stewart and Ken Babcock did as former athletic directors they always want to push new ideas,” and also wanting to “keep that tradition alive.”