UConn yesterday named Auburn COO David Benedict its new AD, and he has earned a "reputation as a solid fundraiser and emerged a rising star in the industry," according to a front-page piece by Doyle & Jacobs of the HARTFORD COURANT. Benedict, who will be introduced this morning, was "one of nine candidates to interview," and made an "immediate impression" on UConn's search committee. After interviewing Saturday, Benedict returned to his Alabama home on Sunday and was "offered the job later that day." Benedict replaces Warde Manuel, and prior to working at Auburn he was Deputy AD at the Minnesota. Since '14, he was Auburn's No. 2 person under AD Jay Jacobs and "ran the day-to-day operation." A source said that the UConn "did not expect a quick resolution to the search after sifting through candidates provided by Parker Executive Search." Doyle & Jacobs report some early candidates "took themselves out of contention while others who might appeal to the school were not in a position to interview" (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/1). The AP's Pat Eaton-Robb noted one of Benedict's "biggest challenges at UConn will be working on the school's future conference affiliations." Manuel and UConn President Susan Herbst were "not able to secure an invitation to join one of the Power Five conferences, leaving most of its teams mired in the much lower revenue-producing" AAC after the breakup of the old Big East (AP, 2/29).
WAR EAGLES LANDING: In Birmingham, Brandon Marcello noted Benedict is the "second member of the Auburn athletics administration to leave the program this year." Earlier this month, Senior Associate AD/External Affairs Scott Carr "left Auburn" to become UCF Exec Associate AD & CMO (AL.com, 2/29).
STAYING PUT: In Reno, Chris Murray reports Nevada AD Doug Knuth "was a candidate for the position" at UConn. Knuth, who played tennis for UConn in the '90s, "agreed to a three-year contract extension with Nevada in late January." The contract is "up for approval by the Nevada Board of Regents during their meeting this week." Knuth's contract was approved by the ad hoc committee last Thursday, but it "goes before the full board for final ratification on Friday." Knuth "was believed to be one of UConn's top candidates" (RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL, 3/1).
