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SMU begins search for new Director of Athletics

PostPosted: Mon Feb 10, 2025 5:45 pm
by PonyPride
From SMUMustangs.com:

SMU begins search for new Director of Athletics

SMU President R. Gerald Turner announced the formation of a Search Committee and the hiring of TurnkeyZRG to assist in selecting the University’s next Director of Athletics

DALLAS (SMU) – Today, SMU President R. Gerald Turner announced the creation of a Search Committee for a new Director of Athletics as well as the retention of a nationally recognized search firm to assist in the process.

The Search Committee will create a position description, review candidate materials and conduct interviews before making a recommendation to President-elect Jay Hartzell, who will ultimately make the appointment. The members of the Search Committee include:

David B. Miller, '72, '73, Chair of the SMU Board of Trustees, Former SMU Student-Athlete and Co-Chair of the Director of Athletics Search Committee
Richard K. Templeton, Vice Chair of the SMU Board of Trustees and Co-Chair of the Director of Athletics Search Committee
Richie L. Butler, '93, SMU Trustee, Chair of the Athletics Committee of the SMU Board of Trustees and Former SMU Student-Athlete
Kyle D. Miller, '01, SMU Trustee and member of the Athletics Committee of the SMU Board of Trustees
Jeanne L. Phillips, '76, SMU Trustee and member of the Athletics Committee of the SMU Board of Trustees
Paul Rogers, Professor of Law and Faculty Athletics Representative

“President-elect Hartzell and I are grateful to the members of the Director of Athletics Search Committee for their time, their input and, perhaps most importantly, their love for—and commitment to—SMU,” Turner said. “Our athletics program is an important part of our institution and its rise to national prominence elevates the entire university. We are confident that the Search Committee will identify exceptional candidates for consideration as we embark on a new chapter of Mustang Athletics.”

SMU has retained TurnkeyZRG to assist in the search for a new Director of Athletics. TurnkeyZRG, a firm specializing in leadership, administrator and coaching recruitment in intercollegiate athletics and professional sports, has recently assisted in several Director of Athletics searches across the nation including within the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). TurnkeyZRG Managing Director Chad Chatlos will be the lead search executive.

Inquiries, nominations, applications and requests for more information on the Director of Athletics position should be submitted via email to [email protected].

Re: SMU begins search for new Director of Athletics

PostPosted: Tue Feb 11, 2025 10:47 am
by BUS
It is a great time to be a Mustang!

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Re: SMU begins search for new Director of Athletics

PostPosted: Thu Feb 13, 2025 12:00 pm
by GrapevineMustang
Possible candidates suggested by DMN's Lia Assimakopoulos:

Chris Del Conte (Texas)
Lia's take: absolute longshot, currently runs the most successful and lucrative athletic program in the country. He and Hartzell might be buddies, but it seems seriously unlikely.

Jeremiah Dickey (Boise State)
Lia's take: maybe? Highlights include 27 team and individual conference titles, $70 million raised and trip to this year's CFP, including first-round bye as top-four seed.
El Paso native, went to UT and worked for UTEP, Houston and Baylor.

Kirby Hocutt (Texas Tech)
Lia's take: maybe — all 17 programs made postseason or bowl game during his tenure in Lubbock. Has ACC experience as former Miami AD.

Hunter Yuracheek (Arkansas)
Lia's take: might want to get out of shadow of Georgia, LSU, Bama, Texas, etc., in SEC ... was Houston's AD before moving to Fayetteville ... raised in Charlotte — home of ACC ... has a son who works in athletic development at SMU.