IU spokesperson Larry MacIntyre confirmed today that the search for the new director of athletics has been narrowed to "about five" candidates. Reports from our friends at the Herald-Times and elsewhere have suggested that the search process could conclude as early as this week.
MacIntyre said Monday afternoon that he spoke to search committee chair Bill Stephan last week, when Stephan told him that the committee had five candidates at that time. They then began a process of conducting due diligence -- checking references, backgrounds, etc. -- and MacIntyre is unsure if the field has since been narrowed.
MacIntyre said IU President Michael McRobbie will decide on a candidate-by-candidate basis whether he wants to interview them in person, which is what the original list might have been slimmed down.
"In each case, it kind of depends on the outcome of due diligence," MacIntyre said.
Among those rumored to be frontrunners for the position are Oregon State athletic director Bob De Carolis and IU Varsity Club director Scott Dolson. MacIntyre neither confirmed nor denied that either man was a candidate, nor did he confirm or deny that the committee was considering any in-house candidates, of which Dolson would be one.
MacIntyre said he is not aware of any timetable set at present for the completion of the search. See tomorrow's IDS for full coverage of this story.
