Mississippi University for Women, nearing the end in its quest to find a leader for its soon-to-be reborn athletics program, has narrowed its list of athletic director candidates to three or four possibilities, according to campus officials.
The first public candidate interview was scheduled for 2 p.m. today in room 303 of Cochran Hall.
Rita Hinton, who is serving as interim faculty athletics representative during MUW’s search process, told The Dispatch the first of the finalists — selected from an original pool of 38 candidates — will be Matt Jones. He is currently the senior associate athletic director for external relations/operations at Delta State University.
Hinton, professor emerita of philosophy, leads the five-person search committee evaluating potential candidates. Hinton filled the same role when MUW ended its intercollegiate athletics programs in 2002, after a tornado destroyed the W’s primary sports venues.
“This is a very important hire for the university,” Hinton said in an email to The Dispatch on Wednesday, adding they have followed regular procedures that are used in evaluating all candidates for campus positions.
Hinton said several groups were scheduled to interview Jones today, including the MUW’s search committee and MUW President Jim Borsig. She added the university hopes to have another candidate on campus on Wednesday, and possibly two others in early April.
The W declined to provide the Dispatch with names and resumes of the potential candidates, until the details of their campus visits were secured, citing confidentiality issues.
MUW athletics
At the end of its former athletics program, MUW was a member of the Gulf South Conference and competed in basketball, softball, volleyball, track and field, gymnastics, swimming, tennis and badminton.
Sports under consideration for inclusion in the new program include women and men’s basketball, soccer, tennis, cross-country, golf, women’s volleyball and softball, and baseball, according to Borsig. He said final consideration will rest with the athletic director regarding which sports are fielded, as well as what the timing will be for the launch of the program and the order in which sports will be introduced.
Other considerations will include the requirement of any athletic conference the W may be invited to join, Borsig said, as well as requirements for the NCAA’s Division III membership.
“We still have a lot of moving parts and decisions ahead,” he said.
Sam Luvisi is news editor and covers education for The Dispatch.
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