As the Raiders' athletic director, Griffin will oversee the campus’s athletic program, which includes all intercollegiate programs for both women and men. He also will administer the campus recreational program, which includes the intramural program and which serves the entire campus as well as the Newark community. Griffin most recently was associate director of athletics at New Jersey City University. 

“We are excited that Mark will be joining our campus community,” stated Marcia Brown, Vice Provost for Student and Community Affairs. “We know he brings a wealth of experience as a coach, administrator and teacher to the position. We welcome him to Newark with high expectations.”

During his 13 years at New Jersey City University, the Verona resident rose from the position of Assistant Athletics Director to that of Associate Director of Athletics; reinstituted the men’s cross-country and track and field programs; and resurrected the women’s track and field program, developing the women’s track team into a national power. He also was NJCU’s compliance and eligibility officer, and coordinated scheduling of all games and events for NJCU’s 15-team athletic program. Over the course of his NJCU career, he supervised the head coaches of virtually every sport.

Griffin had headed the athletics program at Teikyo Post University in Waterbury, CT, from 1987-1990. Prior to that, he was Associate Director of Intramurals at Springfield College in Massachusetts, as well as assistant coach of its men’s and women’s track and field teams, and its nationally ranked women’s cross-country team. He also taught as an adjunct professor at all three institutions.

During his coaching career, Griffin has shaped numerous athletes into champions, helping to produce 21 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) All-Americans, 70 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC ) All-Conference winners, 71 New Jersey Athletic Conference All Conference winners, 12 ECAC individual champions, six NJAC record-holders, and the NCAA women’s record-holder in the 55-meter dash, Diana Lawson.

In 2003, Griffin was named NJAC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year, and in 2004, he was chosen as the NJAC Women’s Indoor Coach of the Year.  He currently serves as president of the Collegiate Track Conference.

Griffin holds a bachelor of science in recreation and leisure studies from Montclair State College (now University), and a masters of education in recreation management from Springfield College in Massachusetts.

Griffin was inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995, honoring an impressive athletic career as a student. He still holds the school record for the javelin throw, and he was named All-American in javelin for three years. Griffin also was an All-American in water polo in 1985 and captain of the water polo team in 1984. He captained the swimming and diving team from 1984-1985, and the track and field team from 1983-1984.

Rutgers-Newark sponsors 10 intercollegiate sports – five for women and five for men.  The Scarlet Raider men’s volleyball program competes at the NCAA Division I level while the other nine programs are Division III. Rutgers-Newark offers baseball and softball as well as men’s and women’s programs in basketball, soccer, tennis and volleyball.

Griffin replaces Rutgers-Newark’s highly respected longtime athletics director John Adams, who passed away in October 2003.