Univ. Of Pittsburgh's Use Of Search Firm Raises Questions About Conflict Of Interest

Pittsburgh AD Scott Barnes yesterday "fended off questions" that the hiring of new men's basketball coach Kevin Stallings with the help of exec search firm Collegiate Sports Associates posed a "conflict of interest," according to a front-page piece by Craig Meyer of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. North Carolina-based Collegiate Sports Associates is led by Todd Turner, who was was Washington AD when Barnes was the school's Senior Associate AD from '05-08. Turner also was Vanderbilt AD in '99 when the school hired Stallings. Barnes also used Collegiate Sports Associates "to conduct searches" when he was Utah State AD. Turner also helped Pitt find new Deputy AD/Athletic Affairs Julio Freire. The questions surrounding the school's hiring process "come at a time when the use of search firms has become widespread in college athletics" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 3/29).