New ECU AD Jon Gilbert Facing Athletics Deficit Of More Than $4M

Gilbert held an initial meeting with the ECU athletics staff yesterday morningECU

East Carolina yesterday named Southern Miss AD Jon Gilbert to the same position, and he is "taking over during a time when the university is projecting the athletics department to be at a running budget deficit" of more than $4M by the end of this fiscal year, according to a front-page piece Ronnie Woodward of the Greenville DAILY REFLECTOR. The AD position "had been vacant" since Jeff Compher accepted a $1.26M buyout from ECU in March. Gilbert, who had been at Southern Miss since January '17, "held an initial meeting" with the ECU athletics staff yesterday morning. ECU "owes a $175,000 buyout to Southern Miss." Along with Gilbert, ECU hired James Madison football coach Mike Houston to the same position, both on "five-year contracts." Dave Hart had been advising ECU Chancellor Cecil Staton, and is "expected to remain at East Carolina, in some capacity, past his contract" that expires Dec. 15 (Greenville DAILY REFLECTOR, 12/4).