Athletics director named

As an assistant football coach at the University of Colorado in the early 1980s, Michael McNeely helped rebuild the Buffaloes to a national power.\nHe's being asked to do it again. Only this time, it's as IU's athletics director.\nIU President Myles Brand announced the hiring of McNeely at a press conference Thursday. \nMcNeely will replace current athletics director Clarence Doninger, who will retire June 30. McNeely will serve as a consultant until the transition is complete and work with Doninger to familiarize himself with IU and the athletic department.\n"The search committee wanted someone who understands the academic mission of IU and the need to integrate academics with athletics," Brand said in his opening remarks. "Importantly, the committee sought someone committed to winning teams and IU's grand tradition of winning athletics programs. The committee and I sought someone who could oversee a multi-million dollar enterprise and understood the business of athletics."\nMcNeely, 46, has more recent football experience at the NFL level. He has been the vice president and chief operating officer of the San Diego Chargers for two years. His resume lists a variety of responsibilities with the Chargers, most of which deal with marketing and promotions. \n"Frankly, we liked the idea that he has a strong background in football," said Vice President for Administration Terry Clapacs, who headed the search committee. "Indiana is a basketball state, and in the long run basketball will always be successful at IU. The challenge is football. Football drives the budget and is an area where we need to provide the maximum amount of support as possible."\nHelping balance IU's athletics budget will be an important part of McNeely's job. In San Diego, he re-organized corporate sales, suite sales and ticket sales programs.\n"The athletic department has taken on new financial responsibilities. In the last seven years we've added four women's sports," Clapacs said. "It's fun to do that and fun to see more women compete for IU. But those are new expenses. And when your football stadium seats (53,000) and you're averaging 34,000, there is an opportunity to increase revenue dramatically."\nMcNeely said he is determined to make IU an elite athletic program.\n"Our goal is to become the standard-setter in college athletics," McNeely said. "We expect our teams to be championship performers. Hopefully, a few years down the road, the decision that's being announced today, people will say is a good decision."\nOne of McNeely's first decisions will be to select a men's basketball coach. But the decision will not be his alone.\nMcNeely, who ate lunch with all of IU's head coaches and several administrators Thursday, will earn $250,000 a year, Brand said. Clapacs said the contract will last five years. McNeely becomes the third-highest paid employee on the Bloomington campus behind Brand ($272,000) and Kelley School of Business Dean Dan Dalton ($260,243).\nMcNeely's statement of philosophy impressed Brand.\n"The quest for athletic achievement should complement the University's educational mission and be based upon the highest standards of fair play and integrity," the statement said. "Our ultimate measure of achievement will be the quality of life experienced by these young people, as well as their contributions to society, once they have left our immediate sphere of influence."\nSaid Brand: "His philosophy was one of the most important points to me. Not only to have a successful, winning team, but how to treat student athletes to be sure they get a good education and they graduate." \nBefore moving to San Diego, McNeely was the athletics director at the University of the Pacific for two years. He directed administration, finance and sports program enhancement for 16 sports, according to his resume. Except for the two years with the Chargers, McNeely has spent each of the last 20 years in college athletics.\n"He missed the interaction with the student athletes," said Cindy Spiro, associate athletics director and senior women's administrator at Pacific. "I can see why he wanted to come back." \nDennis Farrell, commissioner of the Big West Conference, has known McNeely for nearly 15 years and said he has high expectations for his friend.\n"Mike is going to be a tremendous AD at IU," Farrell said. "He was one of the brightest, most visionary athletic directors that I've had to deal with in my 20 years in this office. I think that IU made a great hire."\nThe search committee interviewed more than 12 candidates, some with close connections to IU, such as Alumni Association marketing director John Laskowski, who played basketball for IU.\n"I'm an Indiana guy. I'm doing what I can to help this program," Laskowski said. "I'm disappointed that I wasn't selected, but I'm not disappointed with the choice they made. He's exactly the type of person they need. He does have the skills and qualities to get us where we want to be"