UConn Starts Search for Permanent Athletic Director

The has begun its search for a permanent athletic director, UConn President Susan Herbst announced Wednesday.

Paul Pendergast, who was after the , has asked Herbst to take his name out of consideration for the permanent athletic director position.

“Paul has done an outstanding job as interim athletic director and we are very fortunate that he will remain here at UConn,” UConn President Herbst said in a prepared statement. “He has provided strong leadership during this period of transition and I cannot thank him enough.”

The national search could take up to three months, Herbst said.

Pendergast is set to co-chair the search committee and will continue to work at the university for the UConn Foundation, where he will manage UConn’s outreach efforts.

“As I told President Herbst, I’d like to devote all of my time to key areas where I can best serve this institution,” Pendergast said in a prepared statement. “This is an amazing place and I am excited about the work ahead.”

Management of UConn's athletics program, compliance, academic support and fundraising will be among the new athletic director’s responsibilities, Herbst said.

“This is one of the most important positions at the University, given our tremendously successful athletic programs and the challenges ahead in college sports,” Herbst said in a statment released by the university.

“We seek an extraordinary leader who will shape the future of our program, emphasizing above all else – academic performance, transparency and integrity.  Our new athletic director will build upon the strength of our programs and will be welcomed into this highly ambitious Husky family,” she said.

“I expect our new leader to maintain the excellence we already have, but to also forge new paths, so that UConn can lead the nation in both winning and student-athlete academic success. We have such wonderful young men and women in our program, across so many highly competitive sports and I expect our athletic director to be a role model to them and to our entire student body," Herbst said.

The Athletic Director Search Committee members are:

• Paul Pendergast, Committee Co-Chair, Interim Athletic Director
• Carol Polifroni, Committee Co-Chair, Professor of Nursing, and Chair of the President’s Advisory Committee for Athletics.  
• Andy Bessette ‘75, Executive Vice President and CAO, The Travelers Companies, Former men’s track All-American and Olympian
• Scott Brown, Professor of Educational Psychology, NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative
• Andrea Dennis-LaVigne ’03, Former UConn Board of Trustees member, Owner, Bloomfield (Conn.) Animal Hospital
• Jim Penders ’94, ‘98, Head Baseball Coach, Former Baseball Student-Athlete
• Tom Ritter, ’77 Law, Vice Chairman, UConn Board of Trustees; Partner, Brown Rudnick, LLP
• Rachel Rubin ‘77, Chief of Staff, Office of the President