Candidates seeking the top post in the Carolina Athletic Association are running their campaigns based on an old sports adage: Adversity can be a great motivating factor.
Although Mark Longwill decided to drop out of the race Tuesday, citing a lack of time and resources, three students initially declared their intentions to run this year. The past two years featured only one candidate on the ballot.
Longwill said Tuesday that he would throw his support behind candidate Justin Johnson.
Officials attributed the increase to notable and public CAA controversies, including Homecoming week, that placed a spotlight on the organization.
Then-CAA President Will Keith announced last spring that Sister Hazel would perform at the Homecoming concert before the group had signed a contract. Sister Hazel ultimately wanted more money than the association could provide, and officials had to scramble to find another artist.
“I feel with the spotlight that has been put on the Carolina Athletic Association this year that more people feel they can implement changes,” said Lindsay Strunk, who took the reins of the CAA after Keith resigned in October.
Both remaining candidates — Hayes Holderness and Justin Johnson — said they were compelled to mount a campaign to repair the damage done this year.
Johnson, who has been with the CAA for two years and now serves as director of special projects, cemented his plans to seek office in November. “This past year, we made a lot of mistakes under some of the leadership, and experiencing that and witnessing some of the mistakes we made made me want to have a bigger leadership role,” he said.
Holderness, a member of the ticket distribution committee, said students have a negative perception of the CAA because its process lacks transparency. “Sometimes, obstacles get in the way, but we really want people to see that we’re doing the best we can,” he said.
