Carol Monroe Celebrates 30 Years With Florida Citrus Sports

For the last 30 years, representatives of Florida Citrus Sports’ partner schools have had a hard time escaping the smiling face that introduces herself as our organization’s direct connection to the teams that participate in Orlando’s annual bowl games. From Bobby Ross in her first year to countless others who have since come and gone — Vince Dooley, Tom Osborne, Bobby Bowden, Steve Spurrier, Nick Saban — they all know Carol Monroe.

“Her enthusiasm for her job, for the bowl games Florida Citrus Sports puts on and for her community is contagious,” said University of Wisconsin Athletics Director Barry Alvarez. “As a former coach and now as an athletic director, I want to know that everything is in order when our team arrives for a bowl game. That has always been the case in Orlando and people like Carol are critical to that effort.”

Monroe started in an office of five in 1983, joining Chuck Rohe, Dylan Thomas, Mary Miller and Ann Martinus as the heart of Central Florida’s bowl operation. She came from her beloved University of Florida where she served as an intern for former Athletics Director (and current collegiate athletics consultant) Bill Carr. And now she sits as the lone wolf remaining from a group instrumental in bringing the bowl games to the level they are today.

“To say that she is passionate about her job would be an understatement,” said University of Florida Athletics Director Jeremy Foley. “She cares very much about the institutions, about college football and Florida Citrus Sports. But most of all, she cares about people.”

So in addition to a few pictures from over the years, we thought we would take a look at the year 1983 for a little perspective on just how long Monroe has been serving this organization. In the meantime, if you see her out and about or at an event, please pass along congratulations on her achievement. There is no doubt you’ll receive a hug.

• Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.20
• Cost of a gallon of gas: $1.24
• Cost of a dozen eggs: $0.86
• Median Household Income: $20,885.00
• The final episode of M*A*S*H is aired and the record of most watched episode is broken.
• Motown has its 25th anniversary and Michael Jackson introduces to the world the moonwalk.
• First flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger
• Return of the Jedi opens in theatres.
• The Red Hot Chili Peppers launch their first, self-titled, album.
• United States troops invade Grenada
• McDonald’s introduces the McNugget.
• Paul “Bear” Bryant, American college football coach dies.
• Jim Valvano and NC State win the NCAA basketball tournament.
• The computer mouse is invented.
• J. Crew begins selling clothes through its mail-order catalog.
• Nintendo Entertainment System, My Little Pony, Care Bears, and Cabbage Patch Kids introduced/sold to the public.
• Karen Carpenter, American singer and drummer dies.
• Federal debt is ONLY $1371.7 billion

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