The Univ. of Miami yesterday announced that Univ. of Wisconsin Deputy AD and Athletics Dept. COO Shawn Eichorst “has been hired as the Hurricanes’ athletic director,” according to Barry Jackson of the MIAMI HERALD. Eichorst succeeds Kirby Hocutt, who left in February to become AD at Texas Tech Univ. Eichorst two weeks ago asked UW AD Barry Alvarez to call UM President Donna Shalala “on his behalf,” and Alvarez “gave him a strong endorsement.” His responsibilities at UW included “oversight of the department’s day-to-day operations, men’s basketball, legal affairs, risk management, strategic planning, government relations, trademark and licensing and merchandising.” Before working at UW, Eichorst served as Univ. of South Carolina Senior Associate AD. UM “strongly considered” VCU AD Norwood Teague and ACC Associate Commissioner for Communications & Football Operations Michael Kelly, “each of whom interviewed Sunday.” Cal AD Sandy Barbour said that she “spoke to UM but was not interested in the job.” UM interim AD Tony Hernandez “also was considered.” The AD search was conducted by UM Board of Trustees Athletic Advisory Committee Chair Paul DiMare (MIAMI HERALD, 4/13). In West Palm Beach, Jorge Milian notes Eichorst’s “first order of business will be to find a basketball coach, taking over a search that was being run by” Hernandez and DiMare (PALM BEACH POST, 4/13).
