The Akron Athletic Director Search: Four Significant Late Additions To The Applicant Pool

Sources tell College AD that the University of Akron left the application for athletic director open 48 hours after the posting closed on the NCAA Jobs Market. We are told there were several additions to the applicant list we procured July 24th and disseminated July 27th.

Several significant applicants within that 48 hour period include: Larry Williams, former Marquette University Athletic Director, Terry Tumey, former UC Davis Athletic Director, Brian Wickstrom, Athletic Director at the University of Louisiana Monroe, and Kelly Mehrtens, Deputy Athletics Director / Chief Operating Officer at the University of Maryland. We are also told another news outlet will be releasing the full list of applicants this week.

Larry Williams, Former Marquette University Athletic Director

Larry Williams served as vice president and director of athletics, at Marquette University from 2012-2013. Williams was the director of athletics and recreation at the University of Portland since 2004-2012 . At Marquette, he was instrumental in MU getting a piece of the $500 million Fox television pie that came with the new Big East. Williams was known to be at odds with former Marquette and Current Virginia Tech men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams over the running of the school’s revenue sport. Larry Williams is also a former NFL player and lawyer.

Terry Tumey, Former UC Davis Athletic Director

Terrance J. “Terry” Tumey was UC Davis’s director of athletics from 2012-2015. The Aggies won seven conference championships during his first two years overseeing UC Davis’ athletics program, including two Big West Conference titles in both women’s track and field and golf, and two Mountain Pacific Sports Federation banners in women’s swimming and diving. Terry Tumey said the time was right to step aside as the UC Davis athletic director, a surprising announcement that came in April of 2015 from Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi.

Brian Wickstrom, Athletic Director at the University of Louisiana Monroe

Kelly Mehrtens, Deputy Athletics Director / Chief Operating Officer, University of Maryland

Kelly Mehrtens has over two decades of administrative experience in intercollegiate athletics. During her four years at the University of Maryland, Mehrtens has been responsible for leading both the internal and external operations departments and played a vital role in Maryland’s transition to the Big Ten Conference. Mehrtens began her career at Northeastern University in 1989 and served as the Assistant Athletics Director for Business and Finance at University of Miami (Florida), Associate Athletics Director at University of Kansas, Associate Athletics Director at University of Illinois, and Director of Athletics at University of North Carolina Wilmington.