Rutgers Selects CBS College Sports Exec Tim Pernetti As AD

Pernetti Named AD Despite Having No Track Record As A Fundraiser

CBS College Sports Network Exec VP/Content Tim Pernetti will be introduced as Rutgers Univ.'s (RU) third AD since '72 at a news conference at the Paul Robeson Campus Center in Newark this afternoon, according to sources cited by Tom Luicci of the Newark STAR-LEDGER. Pernetti still had to be "formally approved by [RU's] board of governors when it met this morning." The choice of Pernetti, who played for RU's football team from '90-93 and who is "closely aligned" with football coach Greg Schiano, "would appear to send a clear message that the administration is throwing its full support behind the football program." RU "had been searching for a new [AD] since it fired Robert Mulcahy Dec. 31," and Pernetti was the choice of the 15-member search committee over finalists Univ. of North Carolina-Wilmington AD Kelly Mehrtens and Univ. of Akron AD Mack Rhoades. The search committee "met yesterday with all three candidates separately for approximately an hour." Pernetti was recommended to the BOG "despite having no track record as a fundraiser," an experience that RU President Richard McCormick "deemed essential when the search began, and despite never having been an college administrator." But Pernetti "apparently sold himself well, detailing a bold vision for Rutgers' athletic future with an impressive position paper." CBS College Sports Network Exec VP & GM Steve Herbst added of Pernetti, "His feel, his contacts and his experience make him a top-notch administrator" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 2/26). In New Jersey, Keith Sargeant noted while Pernetti was the only candidate among the three finalists not to have AD experience, he has "brokered lucrative deals" for CBS College Sports, the nation's "first 24-hour college sports TV network." Also in Pernetti's favor was the fact that he was a "candidate for the Big East commissioner position last fall." Though John Marinatto was hired to succeed retiring Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese, Pernetti "apparently made a strong enough impression on McCormick to become one of about 10 candidates interviewed for the Rutgers AD job" (HOME NEWS TRIBUNE, 2/26).

OTHER HIRES: The ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE's John Manasso reported Georgia State Univ. (GSU) yesterday named Univ. of Maryland (UM) Athletic Department Chief of Staff Cheryl Levick as its new AD. Levick, a former AD at Santa Clara Univ. and St. Louis Univ. "takes over from football coach Bill Curry, who is doing the job on an interim basis." Manasso noted GSU's last permanent AD, Mary McElroy, was "terminated without cause by outgoing" GSU President Carl Patton at the end of December. Current GSU President Mark Becker said that "neither Levick's gender nor the time frame were factors" in her hiring (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/25). In Atlanta, Darryl Maxie notes Levick was "second in command to" UM AD Debbie Yow. Levick and Indiana Univ. Deputy AD Tim Fitzpatrick "were the finalists for the job" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/26)....Prairie View A&M Univ. named interim AD Fred Washington its permanent AD. Washington had been acting as the interim AD for 11 months (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/25).