Education
Guenther is a graduate of the University of Illinois, having earned a Bachelor of Science in physical education in 1967 and an Master of Surgery in administration in 1968.
head coach gridiron football player
Guenther is a graduate of the University of Illinois, having earned a Bachelor of Science in physical education in 1967 and an Master of Surgery in administration in 1968.
He served as the head football coach at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois from 1975 to 1978, compiling a record of 22–12–2. Guenther was the athletic director at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign from 1992 until he retired on July 1, 2011. Guenther also played football at Illinois, lettering in 1965 and 1966 as an offensive lineman as well as being named second-team All-Big Ten and the team Most Valuable Player in 1966.
University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman was quoted in July, 2006 as saying: "If he"s not the best AD in the country, I want to know who is." and "He does a wonderful job of bringing in great coaches and building a team that understands what athletics is and needs to be about." (Herman was later relieved of his duties after a scholarship scandal)
Coaches hired
= Football Ron Turner, 1997–2004
Ron Zook, 2005–2011
= Men"s basketball Lon Kruger, 1996–2000
Bill Self, 2000–2003
Bruce Weber, 2004–2012
= Women"s basketball Theresa Grentz, 1995–2006
Jolette Law, 2007–2012
Women"s volleyball
Don Hardin, 1996–2009
Kevin Hambly, 2009–current
= Men"s tennis Brad Dancer, 2006–current
= Women"s tennis Michelle Dasso, 2006–current
= Men"s Track and Field Wayne Angel, 2003–current
Wrestling
Jim Heffernan, 2009–current
Facility construction
Atkins Tennis Center
Reconstruction of Memorial Stadium
Pending decision to renovate Assembly Hall or build a new basketball arena, expected in early 2009
Criticism
Guenther came under fire for an outburst during the 2007 National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament, calling an Illini player an "idiot".
Guenther has also been widely criticized by Illinois fans for the poor performance of the Illinois football team during his tenure.
While at Illinois, Guenther was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.