Dan Viola - SMU's Next AD???
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 11:27 pmEnd of an era: A&M-CC's Viola will step down
AD helped revive program, secure spot in Southland
By Lee Goddard Caller-Times
February 25, 2006
Dan Viola, the only athletic director Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has known since it revived athletics, submitted his resignation Friday afternoon in a meeting with university president Flavius Killebrew.
The resignation was effective March 15, but Killebrew said Viola would be granted immediate emergency leave so he can tend to personal matters. Associate athletic director Brian DeAngelis will take over as athletic director on an interim basis while the school searches for a replacement.
"I basically did it for personal reasons that I'd rather not get into," Viola said. "I am hoping to stay in athletics."
Viola stressed that he was not asked to resign. He also said he would be in the office Monday, and at Monday's men's basketball game. He wasn't sure, but he said, "I think I'll be here through March 15."
Killebrew said Viola was on emergency leave as of Friday afternoon.
There is no timetable in place for hiring a new athletic director. Killebrew said he wanted to assemble a committee comprised of high-level administrators, athletic staff members, coaches, athletes and university donors.
Killebrew added that he was not expecting the resignation when he got together with Viola for a 1 p.m. meeting, and emphasized it was not something in the making.
"We got together and had the discussion," Killebrew said. "Not necessarily (was I expecting it).
Obviously you have ongoing discussions with various employees, but it was something that actually did happen (Friday)."
After Killebrew received the resignation, athletic department employees were assembled less than an hour later where they were told Viola was resigning and DeAngelis was the interim athletic director.
DeAngelis, who will apply for the permanent position, said he found out about it at the same time as everyone else. When he left for the gathering he was the No. 2 man in the athletic department. When the meeting ended, he was - temporarily, at least - in charge.
"There was shock initially, but like I've said before, I'm here for the university to do a good job by it, as far as the athletic department, student-athletes and coaches," DeAngelis said. "Regardless of what happens, I'm here to do that.
"It's one of those things you always dream about happening, but you never know."
The university announced in 1995 that it was seeking a return to athletics after the program had been dormant since 1973. The first step in building a department was when Viola became the athletic director on May 19, 1997, before any teams took the field or to the court.
The stated goal for Viola always was for the independent program to gain conference affiliation. After years of working toward that goal, the Islanders were rewarded in September with an invitation to join the Southland Conference next season.
With the university poised to realize its goal, Viola said it was difficult to leave at this time.
"I believe so. I just made the decision," Viola said. "I just had to make it, and for personal reasons."
As the university is soon to be in the Southland, one of Killebrew's first phone calls was placed to Southland commissioner Tom Burnett.
"I wanted to give him a heads up. I didn't want the Southland to read about it in the newspaper," Killebrew said. "I thought it was appropriate to do that.
"I told them I would appreciate advice on how they would see these things done. It's advice; I get to make the decision."
http://www.caller.com/ccct/islanders/ar ... 15,00.html
AD helped revive program, secure spot in Southland
By Lee Goddard Caller-Times
February 25, 2006
Dan Viola, the only athletic director Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has known since it revived athletics, submitted his resignation Friday afternoon in a meeting with university president Flavius Killebrew.
The resignation was effective March 15, but Killebrew said Viola would be granted immediate emergency leave so he can tend to personal matters. Associate athletic director Brian DeAngelis will take over as athletic director on an interim basis while the school searches for a replacement.
"I basically did it for personal reasons that I'd rather not get into," Viola said. "I am hoping to stay in athletics."
Viola stressed that he was not asked to resign. He also said he would be in the office Monday, and at Monday's men's basketball game. He wasn't sure, but he said, "I think I'll be here through March 15."
Killebrew said Viola was on emergency leave as of Friday afternoon.
There is no timetable in place for hiring a new athletic director. Killebrew said he wanted to assemble a committee comprised of high-level administrators, athletic staff members, coaches, athletes and university donors.
Killebrew added that he was not expecting the resignation when he got together with Viola for a 1 p.m. meeting, and emphasized it was not something in the making.
"We got together and had the discussion," Killebrew said. "Not necessarily (was I expecting it).
Obviously you have ongoing discussions with various employees, but it was something that actually did happen (Friday)."
After Killebrew received the resignation, athletic department employees were assembled less than an hour later where they were told Viola was resigning and DeAngelis was the interim athletic director.
DeAngelis, who will apply for the permanent position, said he found out about it at the same time as everyone else. When he left for the gathering he was the No. 2 man in the athletic department. When the meeting ended, he was - temporarily, at least - in charge.
"There was shock initially, but like I've said before, I'm here for the university to do a good job by it, as far as the athletic department, student-athletes and coaches," DeAngelis said. "Regardless of what happens, I'm here to do that.
"It's one of those things you always dream about happening, but you never know."
The university announced in 1995 that it was seeking a return to athletics after the program had been dormant since 1973. The first step in building a department was when Viola became the athletic director on May 19, 1997, before any teams took the field or to the court.
The stated goal for Viola always was for the independent program to gain conference affiliation. After years of working toward that goal, the Islanders were rewarded in September with an invitation to join the Southland Conference next season.
With the university poised to realize its goal, Viola said it was difficult to leave at this time.
"I believe so. I just made the decision," Viola said. "I just had to make it, and for personal reasons."
As the university is soon to be in the Southland, one of Killebrew's first phone calls was placed to Southland commissioner Tom Burnett.
"I wanted to give him a heads up. I didn't want the Southland to read about it in the newspaper," Killebrew said. "I thought it was appropriate to do that.
"I told them I would appreciate advice on how they would see these things done. It's advice; I get to make the decision."
http://www.caller.com/ccct/islanders/ar ... 15,00.html
