Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Groundwork set in search for UNLV athletic director

Insiders say they don’t expect the process to last beyond Christmas

Neal Smatresk

Neal Smatresk

The first of what might not be many athletic director search committee meetings took place Tuesday afternoon at UNLV.

Gerry Bomotti, the chair of the committee of about a dozen and the university’s vice president of finance and business, said it was mostly about organization and procedures.

The committee also finalized the wording of the announcement of the position that will be posted on the UNLV and Nevada System of Higher Education Web sites today.

“And we received our charge from the president,” Bomotti said.

The Nevada Board of Regents appointed Dr. Neal Smatresk, 58, as UNLV’s new president in early August.

A few weeks earlier, Mike Hamrick left his post as UNLV athletic director for the same position at Marshall, his alma mater. Longtime UNLV administrator Jerry Koloskie took over in an interim capacity.

The 90-minute search committee meeting took place in the UNLV Student Union. Smatresk was there for about 20 minutes.

“He really wants us to go out and help him find the best possible pool of candidates for the AD postion,” Bomotti said. “He gave us his thoughts and I think he captured everything he believed was important.

“He’s just trying to do the best job for the university. It’s an important position, a high-profile position, and he wants to get a person in who will lead the department. He said, ‘Hey, find some good people.’ ”

The priority deadline for applicants is Nov. 30, and the search committee will meet again Dec. 1.

“If someone gets an application in Dec. 5, we’ll still be able to review it,” Bomotti said. “But we’re asking people for priority consideration. On Dec. 1, we’ll talk about the candidates and get an assessment of what the pool looks like.”

Members of the committee can make their own recommendations.

“If they know of two good candidates they can contact the chair, which is me,” Bomotti said. “We’ll consider all those people if they have interest. I think it’s pretty straight-forward.”

Koloskie wants the job.

“I’ll do what’s right for the department, first and foremost,” he has told the Sun. “I can tell you right now, I’m pretty confident that if I’m given the opportunity to sit in this chair, I’ll represent UNLV athletics very well.”

South Point Arena director Steve Stallworth and MAACO Bowl Las Vegas Director Tina Kunzer-Murphy have worked at UNLV and are believed to be, with Koloskie, strong local candidates.

Both Stallworth and Kunzer-Murphy have met informally, either for lunch or in a casual environment, with Smatresk in recent weeks.

“I do believe there’s local talent and good local people,” Smatresk has told the Sun. “Are they qualified to run a Division-I, NCAA-compliant program? Is their experience in that realm?”

Per university guidelines, however, a national search will be conducted and the committee findings will be forwarded to Smatresk for his consideration.

Several insiders said they don’t expect the process to last past Christmas.

“It will happen as soon as possible,” said one source.

The committee includes Daren Libonati, the executive director of the Thomas & Mack Center, Sam Boyd Stadium and Cox Pavilion; UNLV women’s basketball coach Kathy Olivier; swimming and diving coach Jim Reitz; and men’s soccer coach Mario Sanchez.

Also on the committee are Eric Toliver, an associate athletic director in charge of compliance; equipment director Paul Pucciarelli; academic faculty representative Mike Clauretie; and Larry Hamilton, who is on the administrative faculty and works in human resources.

UNLV basketball coach Lon Kruger and prominent booster Cliff Findlay, the area automobile magnate who played center for the Rebels in the late 1960s, might be sought for their input.

What is certain is that one of the major moves of Smatresk’s tenure as UNLV president will be one of his first.

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