Oregon State on Thursday named Todd Stansbury, who "spent the last three-plus years" as UCF AD, to the same position, according to the Corvallis GAZETTE-TIMES. He was at OSU from '03-12 before taking his most recent post at UCF. He "succeeds Bob De Carolis," who resigned as OSU AD in May "after nearly 17 years" at the university. Effective July 1, OSU Senior Associate AD & Senior Woman Administrator Marianne Vydra will "serve as interim director of OSU intercollegiate athletics" until Stansbury assumes his post on Aug. 1. OSU VP/University Relations & Marketing Steve Clark said that Stansbury "has a five-year contract with a starting annual salary of $500,000." Clark added that Stansbury "could also potentially earn as much as an additional $185,000 per year in performance incentives." Stansbury during his time at UCF "transformed a department that increased its donor base" by 47% and has had the "highest graduation success rate" of any public D-I institution in the U.S. (Corvallis GAZETTE-TIMES, 6/19). In Orlando, Murschel & Bianchi write UCF during Stansbury's tenure has "seen tremendous success on-and-off the field." The school in '13 "transitioned from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference." Stansbury "invested heavily in the development of athletes off the field." He "pushed for a new academic student support center now under construction and launched the Knights Without Borders program that allows athletes to do charitable work overseas." AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco said, "Oregon State is getting a great athletic director. I’ve just enjoyed working with Todd immensely. He’s been one of our leading ADs." He added, "The conference is a better place for having Todd here." Murschel & Bianchi notre Stansbury "will be introduced" by OSU at a Wednesday news conference. OSU has more than $220M in "recent sports facilities improvements completed or currently under way." Among them is a $42M project to "improve the Beavers' football facilities and the 45,674-seat Reser Stadium" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 6/19). In Portland, Connor Letourneau notes Stansbury in early April was "named to the newly established Football Oversight Committee, which supervises licensing of postseason bowls and the selection process for the FCS championship" (Portland OREGONIAN, 6/19).
HIRED HANDILY: In Portland, Kerry Eggers wrote Stansbury during his time at OSU was "soft-spoken, reserved and understated," but that was when he "was a second banana." Meanwhile, Boise State AD Mark Coyle was "one of the finalists" for the OSU position. OSU President Ed Ray following interviews "sent the committee's recommended pick -- Stansbury -- to a small group of trusted alums and advisors." OSU football analyst Steve Preece, who was among those consulted, said of Stansbury, "He was really impressive. I'm told he was a near-unanimous choice of the committee." OSU baseball coach Pat Casey said, "It's an awesome hire. ... He knows the people and the landscape here" (PORTLANDTRIBUNE.com, 6/18).
