Public Relations Specialist Steve Manas dismissed reports that the search for the University’s new athletic director has been narrowed down to three candidates. Sources requested anonymity because the University has imposed a media blackout regarding the ongoing search.
Executive Vice President at CBS College Sports Television Tim Pernetti, North Carolina-Wilmington Athletic Director Kelly Mehrtens, and Akron Athletic Director Mack Rhoades are the leading contenders for the position, according to reports from The Star Ledger and the Home News Tribune.
Manas dismissed the report as speculation and said the University has made no official announcement.
“Do you believe everything you read?” Manas said. “People write things. There’s nothing to say about it.”
Today, the candidates plan to meet with head football coach Greg Schiano, men’s basketball head coach Fred Hill Jr., and women’s basketball head coach C. Vivian Stringer, according to the Star Ledger.
The selection committee will meet Thursday for a final review of the finalists and the decision to fill the position could be made that day when the Board of Governors meets in the Paul Robeson Campus Center in Newark, according to The Star Ledger.
The search for a new athletic director began when University President Richard L. McCormick fired Athletic Director Robert E. Mulcahy, effective Dec. 31, after a report from the University’s Athletic Review Committee accused McCormick and the BOG of mismanagement of the athletic department, according to a January article.
The chosen candidate will replace Interim Athletic Director Carl Kirschner.
“The process continues to be underway and we’re not commenting on individual candidates,” said Senior Director of Media Relations Greg Trevor.
Chair of the University’s Search Committee Philip J. Furmanski could not be reached for comment at press time. But in a January article, he discussed what the committee is looking for.
“[The search committee] is devoted to finding the very best person, who is committed to creating the best athletic program possible — one who relates closely to the school’s academics, and one who will take us [the University and the athletics program] to the next level,” he said.
Trevor would not say how far along the process is, and Assistant Athletic Director for Communications Jason Baum declined to comment.
The alleged prospective candidates offer a variety of backgrounds.
Pernetti played as tight end for the University from 1990-1994 and oversees the television and multimedia rights and relationships part of CSTV’s business since its 2003 startup, according to The Star Ledger. He has been the game analyst for the Rutgers Football Radio Network since 2001.
At Ramapo High School Schiano coached Pernetti for one year, according to the Star Ledger.
Mehrtens is credited with helping the University of Kansas raise $19 million for facility upgrades and previously served as senior associate athletic director and senior women’s athletic director at Kansas, according to the school’s Web site.
She was an assistant athletic director for business and senior women’s administrator at Miami, according to the Kansas site.
At Akron, Rhoades was a part of raising $55 million for a new football stadium that is scheduled to open this fall as the University’s director of athletics, according to the school’s Web site. He previously served as the senior associate and assistant athletic director at Texas-El Paso, working in fundraising, marketing and development, according to The Star Ledger.
Livingston College senior Kim Sayers said that an athletic director should focus on athletics not just football.
“I feel like because football generates a lot of revenue that they don’t concentrate on other sports as much as they should,” she said.
Reports: three vie to replace Mulcahy
Published: Monday, February 23, 2009
Updated: Tuesday, February 24, 2009
2 comments