| Subject: Fordham grad Brian Colleary resigned yesterday as AD at Duquesne. He faced a similar situation to Fordham - he's been under fire for years as has our AD. Click this message for an article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on the resignation. |
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Rambacker
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Date Posted: 08:00:59 05/12/05 Thu
In reply to:
PA Ram
's message, "Kudos on an interesting and well articulated thread people." on 19:49:54 05/09/05 Mon
Colleary resigns as Duquesne AD
Basketball team's failures likely led to downfall
Thursday, May 12, 2005
By Phil Axelrod, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Brian Colleary, the athletic director at Duquesne University the past 16 years, resigned yesterday and is pursuing similar positions at George State University and the University of Buffalo.
There has been speculation, on the heels of the men's basketball team having its 11th consecutive losing season, that Colleary's contract would not be renewed.
Colleary, president Charles J. Dougherty and Rev. Sean Hogan, vice president for student life and Colleary's immediate boss, were unavailable for comment. It is believed Duquesne will name an interim athletic director from within the current department while it makes a national search for a full-time athletic director.
Because Dougherty and Hogan haven't spoken publicly about Colleary's status or the state of the athletic department the past several months it's not known whether there will be a reshuffling of the department.
Colleary, 53, has had an interview at Georgia State and is one of the finalists for the job. He has been contacted by the University of Buffalo, which has yet to interview any candidates.
Colleary's role at Duquesne the past several years has been reduced dramatically. He was part of the interview process when Danny Nee was hired as men's basketball coach four years ago, but president John Murray had the final say. Colleary reportedly preferred Bruiser Flint, the current coach at Drexel University.
Colleary also did not give Nee a contract extension last year that runs through 2008. Dougherty did.
Colleary also participated in the interview process two months ago when Duquesne was looking for a football coach to replace Greg Gattuso, who left to become recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach at Pitt.
But, Dougherty hired Jerry Schmitt.
Although Duquesne is enjoying its most successful year in the Atlantic 10 Conference, with the lacrosse and men's soccer teams sharing league championships, Colleary's tenure will be judged on the failure of being able to revive the men's basketball program.
The Dukes have had just one winning record under four coaches -- John Carroll, Scott Edgar, Darrelle Porter and Nee -- in the past 16 years. They were 8-22 this season and are 39-78 under Nee, who blasted Duquesne's administration for lack of support in December. He later apologized.
During Colleary's 16 years, Duquesne has:
Nearly tripled its athletic budget to $7 million per year.
Increased the number of varsity sports to 20, adding wrestling, men's and women's soccer, women's lacrosse, women's rowing, women's indoor and outdoor track and men's outdoor track.
Increased the number of student-athletes from 185 to 487.
Increased the size of the athletic department staff from seven full-time employees to more than 40.
Built Rooney Field and a bubble over it on campus, a baseball field in Green Tree, renovated the men's and women's locker rooms in Palumbo Center, resurfaced McCloskey Field on campus, added a press box to Rooney Field and installed a new all-purpose track on McCloskey Field.
Hosted the 1997 NCAA men's basketball tournament's first and second rounds, hosted the NCAA women's basketball tournament's East regional and the 2002 NCAA men's basketball tournament's first and second rounds.
Generated about $18 million in revenue from the tournaments and added $1 million to Duquesne's budget.
Won the past five six Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference football championships and was the NCAA Division I-AA mid-major national champion in 2003.
Led the Atlantic 10 Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll for student-athletes in each of the past 10 years.
Tied for eighth among Division I schools with Stanford and Florida with 17 academic All-American student-athletes since the fall of 2000.
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