ASU athletic director accepts Ohio State job
Jeff Metcalfe
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 4, 2005 05:10 PM
Ohio State will announce the hiring of Arizona State Athletic Director Gene Smith as its athletic director on Saturday.
A press conference is scheduled for noon Arizona time in Columbus, where Smith and his wife, Sheila, met with the Ohio State search committee today.
"I think it is a done deal," said Dutch Baughmann, executive director of the Division I-A Athletic Directors Association. "Everything is in place."
Smith, 49, will replace the retiring Andy Geiger. He is leaving ASU after four-plus years and was under contract here through 2007-08.
ASU officials were not commenting as of mid-afternoon, although athletic department personnel were told of Smith's interest in the Ohio State job at a morning meeting.
Smith's interest in the Ohio State job became public Thursday, although the Columbus Dispatch reported that he met with an executive search firm about the opening in Dallas last week.
ASU now begins a search for its 19th athletic director and fourth since 1995. Christine Wilkinson was interim athletic director twice before and after Kevin White came to ASU from Tulane then left for Notre Dame.
Smith, a native of Cleveland where his father still lives, was hired away from Iowa State in July 2000. He hired seven head coaches during his ASU tenure including football's Dirk Koetter.
President Michael Crow, in his third year at ASU, will be making his first hire of an athletic director.
ShaneMy time of year!
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