Search committee inches closer to finding new athletic director
The 16-person search committee for Central Michigan University's new athletic director will meet tonight to narrow the search down to eight candidates. The time of the meeting was not specified.
The committee is looking into 37 applicants, 19 of which come from Division I schools. Eight of them have athletic director experience, nine are senior associate athletic directors and nine come from Power Five conferences, said committee chair and vice president of advancement Bob Martin.
The committee plans to hold Skype videos interviews next week and aims to bring three finalists to campus next month. President George Ross is expected to make an offer to fill the position by June 1.
"We've made great progress," Martin said. "I've been involved in several searches around the country, and this is the most impressive prospect pull I've ever seen."
Martin said the university saved nearly $100,000 by appointing current staff, faculty members and former and current student athletes to the panel instead of hiring a professional search team.
It's common to include the coach with the most revenue as well as a leading women's coach, Martin said. The committee includes football coach John Bonamego, women's basketball coach Sue Guevara, former football player Antonio Brown and senior soccer player Kristen Knutson.
"At the schools that hire the best athletic directors, this is the practice," Martin said. "My goal is to finish this (search) up in a business-like matter, to run the meetings efficiently and to make sure we present the university with (candidates) who are going to make this university proud."
