Post by elp525 on Mar 4, 2010 6:00:51 GMT -5
March 3, 2010
WVU to launch national search for new AD
By Dave Hickman
Staff writer
MORGANTOWN - Ed Pastilong won't be sticking around as West Virginia's athletic director beyond this summer after all. At least publicly, he seems just fine with that.
The school announced Wednesday afternoon that it will launch an immediate national search for Pastilong's replacement, bringing to an end not only one of the most successful 20-year periods in the school's athletic history, but two years of speculation about whether Pastilong would stick to the timetable.
He will, serving his final day on June 30 and then spending two more years - as was the plan - as the school's athletic director emeritus.
"When [WVU] President [Jim] Clements came on board, the first thing I mentioned to him was that I would like to work with him in whatever manner he felt was best for WVU,'' Pastilong said. "And he stated that right now with the program strong and with the competitiveness, the timing is good for him to add that other person to his team.''
Pastilong's timetable for retirement was announced in February of 2008. Coincidentally or not, that was also at the height of all the controversy and legal wrangling that followed the abrupt departure of football coach Rich Rodriguez to Michigan, as well as the eve of the Heather Bresch scandal that would lead to the resignation of then-president Mike Garrison.
In the aftermath of both of those episodes, Pastilong said several times that he was willing to stay in his job beyond this summer, and there was speculation that he might actually have preferred to do that. Clements had put the issue on the back burner since he stepped into his job last summer.
In the final analysis, though, Clements said that not only should the school stick to the announced timetable, but that it is the perfect time to make a change. The athletic department is so strong, he said, that the pool of potential candidates can't help but be strong.
"Ed Pastilong has done just a great job for the university for 20 years. And our programs are doing very, very well, which makes it a perfect time to start a national search for the next athletic director,'' Clements said in a teleconference following the announcement. "We're getting ready to start our next strategic plan for the campus, so the time actually becomes very good in terms of getting somebody in place to help move the university forward.
"Ed has said all along he'll play any role we need. He will continue to play a very important role for the university in terms of advising me, mentoring a new AD that comes on, raising money, developing the program. It makes it the perfect opportunity to move forward at this time.''
Since that original announcement, several well-heeled boosters have reportedly taken sides, some preferring that the school make a change in the athletic department leadership and some preferring that Pastilong remain.
Clements insisted on Wednesday that none of that factored into his decision.
"In terms of outside factors, the decision is solely mine as president of the institution,'' Clements said. "Ed has done a great job and this was a decision solely on my own.
"People will always feel that they can put in their two cents about anything. I hear it from what defensive plays we should run. But this one, we have a program that is strong [and] prepared to move forward. No outside influences in any way, shape or form shaped my decision. I think it's the right time to run a search when a program is so strong and so good that it gives us the opportunity to get an unbelievable pool of candidates.''
Clements said he will head the search for a new athletic director, but indicated that a search committee will be named. He also hinted that the search could last beyond the June 30 retirement date, in which case Pastilong would stay on as needed.
"Ed and I have talked a lot about athletics since I started. We've had a lot of very good and very healthy discussions,'' Clements said. "And what Ed has said all along is he'll do whatever it takes to help, now and in the future. I don't know how long the search will take. And Ed has continued to say, 'I'm here for the university, here for the team, tell me what you need me to do and I'll do it.' And for that I can only say thanks.''
Pastilong, a WVU graduate and former letterman as a quarterback on the school's football team, has been at WVU since 1976, when he joined the football staff as recruiting coordinator under Frank Cignetti. Two years later he moved to a position as the program's scholarship officer. He was named assistant athletic director for facilities and operations in 1979, associate athletic director in 1987 and then replaced Fred Schaus as the athletic director two years later.
During his 20 years, the athletic program has expanded Mountaineer Field, renovated the Coliseum, built the indoor practice facility and a soccer stadium, along with countless other facilities improvements. The department's budget nearly tripled and first the football program and then the entire athletic program moved into the Big East.
WVU to launch national search for new AD
By Dave Hickman
Staff writer
MORGANTOWN - Ed Pastilong won't be sticking around as West Virginia's athletic director beyond this summer after all. At least publicly, he seems just fine with that.
The school announced Wednesday afternoon that it will launch an immediate national search for Pastilong's replacement, bringing to an end not only one of the most successful 20-year periods in the school's athletic history, but two years of speculation about whether Pastilong would stick to the timetable.
He will, serving his final day on June 30 and then spending two more years - as was the plan - as the school's athletic director emeritus.
"When [WVU] President [Jim] Clements came on board, the first thing I mentioned to him was that I would like to work with him in whatever manner he felt was best for WVU,'' Pastilong said. "And he stated that right now with the program strong and with the competitiveness, the timing is good for him to add that other person to his team.''
Pastilong's timetable for retirement was announced in February of 2008. Coincidentally or not, that was also at the height of all the controversy and legal wrangling that followed the abrupt departure of football coach Rich Rodriguez to Michigan, as well as the eve of the Heather Bresch scandal that would lead to the resignation of then-president Mike Garrison.
In the aftermath of both of those episodes, Pastilong said several times that he was willing to stay in his job beyond this summer, and there was speculation that he might actually have preferred to do that. Clements had put the issue on the back burner since he stepped into his job last summer.
In the final analysis, though, Clements said that not only should the school stick to the announced timetable, but that it is the perfect time to make a change. The athletic department is so strong, he said, that the pool of potential candidates can't help but be strong.
"Ed Pastilong has done just a great job for the university for 20 years. And our programs are doing very, very well, which makes it a perfect time to start a national search for the next athletic director,'' Clements said in a teleconference following the announcement. "We're getting ready to start our next strategic plan for the campus, so the time actually becomes very good in terms of getting somebody in place to help move the university forward.
"Ed has said all along he'll play any role we need. He will continue to play a very important role for the university in terms of advising me, mentoring a new AD that comes on, raising money, developing the program. It makes it the perfect opportunity to move forward at this time.''
Since that original announcement, several well-heeled boosters have reportedly taken sides, some preferring that the school make a change in the athletic department leadership and some preferring that Pastilong remain.
Clements insisted on Wednesday that none of that factored into his decision.
"In terms of outside factors, the decision is solely mine as president of the institution,'' Clements said. "Ed has done a great job and this was a decision solely on my own.
"People will always feel that they can put in their two cents about anything. I hear it from what defensive plays we should run. But this one, we have a program that is strong [and] prepared to move forward. No outside influences in any way, shape or form shaped my decision. I think it's the right time to run a search when a program is so strong and so good that it gives us the opportunity to get an unbelievable pool of candidates.''
Clements said he will head the search for a new athletic director, but indicated that a search committee will be named. He also hinted that the search could last beyond the June 30 retirement date, in which case Pastilong would stay on as needed.
"Ed and I have talked a lot about athletics since I started. We've had a lot of very good and very healthy discussions,'' Clements said. "And what Ed has said all along is he'll do whatever it takes to help, now and in the future. I don't know how long the search will take. And Ed has continued to say, 'I'm here for the university, here for the team, tell me what you need me to do and I'll do it.' And for that I can only say thanks.''
Pastilong, a WVU graduate and former letterman as a quarterback on the school's football team, has been at WVU since 1976, when he joined the football staff as recruiting coordinator under Frank Cignetti. Two years later he moved to a position as the program's scholarship officer. He was named assistant athletic director for facilities and operations in 1979, associate athletic director in 1987 and then replaced Fred Schaus as the athletic director two years later.
During his 20 years, the athletic program has expanded Mountaineer Field, renovated the Coliseum, built the indoor practice facility and a soccer stadium, along with countless other facilities improvements. The department's budget nearly tripled and first the football program and then the entire athletic program moved into the Big East.
