Final Four Run Enhances WVU AD Search, School President Says

For it's time to play catch-up.

While in the vortex of WVU's terrific basketball run to the Final Four, much has gone on in the Mountain State. WVU's search for an athletic director to replace Ed Pastilong is out there.

 Let's begin with the WVU AD search. On Tuesday, I reached the school's president, Jim Clements, and spoke to him. 

The word has been the search slowed because of the Mountaineer basketball run. Clements said, however, that's not the case. The Mountaineer basketball run has simply enhanced the search.

"Making the Final Four has increased the interest in the job nationally,'' Clements said. "This [job] is one of the greatest opportunities in sports anywhere.

"And the timing of our basketball team making the Final Four is great. I'm getting lots of calls and inquiries. I tried to get the word out before the Big East tournament, but the exposure we've received [via the Final Four berth] has made it even better. We're getting interest big-time.''

Clements said he's finalizing a screening committee and said there will be no movement until the end of the NCAA basketball tournament. It's understood, however, he wishes to have someone in place by the end of June, if not before. He wishes the new AD to be part of his school's strategic planning effort as well as in place for impending Big East issues. (The latter, by the way, has to include movement and/or realignment stemming from any Big Ten shakedown.)

Those within WVU's circle have maintained the job would belong to Oliver Luck, the school's former quarterback and uber-successful businessman, if he'd simply give the high sign. That's not to be discounted. The other hot name of late has been Missouri assistant AD Whit Babcock. If not Luck, then maybe Babcock.

Kentucky assistant AD Rob Mullens is also receiving love. (Tidbit: Babcock and Mullens were in many of the same graduate classes together in Morgantown.) Clements, though, would not tip his hand on any front-runner.

Reason? He believes there are more candidates to come. Candidates with powerful resumes. Perhaps candidates that are sitting athletic directors at other highly regarded schools.

"We will have top-notch candidates,'' he promised.

What do I know?

Well, I know Hamrick will be a busy man interviewing candidates at the Final Four. (Silly, yes, but I keep imagining the man setting up a little green booth at the Lucas Oil Stadium and candidates lined up with numbers in their hands.)

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