Former UConn AD JEFF HATHAWAY yesterday was formally introduced as Hofstra Univ. AD. Hathaway agreed to a five-year contract with the school, and will begin in June (Hofstra). In Connecticut, John Altavilla noted Hathaway accepted the job at Hofstra "less than a year after he resigned under pressure" at UConn. Hathaway has spent the last 13 years "as a high-level administrator, beginning as a trusted assistant" to former UConn AD LEW PERKINS from '99-'01. Hathaway left to become AD at Colorado State Univ. until replacing Perkins, who left in ‘03 for Kansas Univ. (HARTFORD COURANT, 5/16). The AP noted Hofstra interim AD DANNY MCCABE will “remain as the executive associate athletic director” (AP, 5/15). Hofstra President STUART RABINOWITZ said that a significant reason for hiring Hathaway “is to navigate Hofstra through conference issues." On Long Island, Steven Marcus noted toward the end of Hathaway's UConn tenure, the athletic department was “scrutinized by the NCAA for recruiting violations in men's basketball and declining academic scores.” Hathaway said, “I didn't come here to retire. Anybody who knows me, knows I'm either 110 percent in or I'm out.” Rabinowitz said that Hathaway was "fully vetted by the university." Rabinowitz: “I am absolutely convinced that what went wrong there was not due to anything he did or should have done” (NEWSDAY, 5/16).
NEW MAN IN NOLA: In New Orleans, Lyons Yellin notes the Univ. of New Orleans hired DEREK MOREL as its new AD. Morel, a New Orleans native, was previously IMG Sports Marketing VP & GM for its Wake Forest Univ. properties. He is the school’s “fifth athletic director in three years, and replaces AMY CHAMPION.” UNO President PETER FOS said that the school “considered more than 75 applicants before selecting Morel, citing his fundraising experience as a key factor.” Yellin notes Fos "singled out Morel’s tenure" as St. Bonaventure Univ. AssociateAD/External Relations. While at St. Bonaventure, Morel “delivered a 150 percent increase in sponsorship revenue” between ‘97 and ‘04. Morel is “not contractually obligated to begin at UNO until July 1” (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 5/16).
