Marshall taps Rebels’ athletic director

West Virginia native Mike Hamrick came to Las Vegas for his first full-time job in 1981 in the marketing department at UNLV.

That began a trek that took him from here to the Midwest and back to the South before returning six years ago to be the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' athletic director.

And now Hamrick is returning to familiar territory. He was hired Monday as athletic director at Marshall University, where he played football in the late 1970s.

"It's simply a chance to come home to my alma mater," Hamrick said by phone from Huntington, W.Va., where the official announcement was made.

"My wife, Soletta, and I both went to the school. I pledged to help them move their program forward."

Hamrick signed a three-year deal at Marshall worth $235,000 annually. He said the school will not have to buy out his deal at UNLV, which had a year left. Hamrick earned $285,000 at UNLV.

Senior associate athletic director Jerry Koloskie will take over as acting athletic director when Hamrick leaves for good. Hamrick said he had some unfinished business at UNLV, and he will depart in mid-August.

Koloskie, a West Virginia University graduate, was visiting family in Fairmont, W.Va., about a two-hour drive from Marshall, when Hamrick's announcement took place. Koloskie flew back to Las Vegas on Monday, ending his vacation early to prepare for his extended duties.

"It's a busy time, and there's a lot that needs to be done," Koloskie said. "Football (practice) is starting in a couple of weeks. I have to make sure it's a smooth transition."

Koloskie said he was putting together a to-do list while sitting in the Pittsburgh airport.

"I'm pretty familiar with everything that has to be done," he said. "For me, this comes at an ideal time. My vacation was cut short, but I'm energized and refreshed."

Koloskie might hold the interim title for quite some time because the university is without a president following David Ashley's recent ouster.

The acting president, Provost Neal Smatresk, said the emphasis will be on finding a new university head before searching for an athletic director.

The new athletic director will oversee a more stable situation than what Hamrick inherited in 2003.

The men's basketball team was on probation by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and the athletic department faced a $2.2 million deficit.

Even with a recession, the department now operates with more than a $2 million surplus and, though other cuts were made, has not had to resort to layoffs or furloughs.

Also, Hamrick hired Lon Kruger as basketball coach, and until this past season's 21-11 blip, Kruger took the Rebels to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments.

There have been no major scandals in athletics under Hamrick, who signed a shoe and apparel contract with Nike, streamlined the donor process and improved the graduation rate from 30 percent to 66 percent.

"The university really respects the terrific job that Mike has done," Smatresk said. "The university wishes him and Soletta the best as he moves into a new post.

"It is a big loss for this university."

But not everyone is sad to see Hamrick, 51, leave.

Many detractors, most notably former university system Chancellor Jim Rogers, believed Hamrick wasn't visible enough in the community, especially among donors.

"People judge you, and there's nothing you can do about that," Hamrick said.

Hamrick's hiring of Mike Sanford as football coach also remains a question. The Rebels improved by three victories last season, but Sanford's five-year record is 11-36. Whether UNLV builds on last season's improvement or goes backward will go a long way toward labeling what kind of hire Hamrick made.

"I really believe in Mike Sanford," Hamrick said. "I believe the football program is solid."

Had Hamrick stayed at UNLV, there would have been questions about his future.

New presidents often hire their own athletic directors, and with only a year left on his contract, Hamrick could have been especially vulnerable.

Hamrick insisted that such uncertainty played no role in his decision to take the Marshall job and that he would have been headed there whether he had one or three years remaining.

Hamrick started at linebacker for the Thundering Herd in 1978 and 1979, graduating from the school in 1980.

Now he's back, and at Monday's news conference, Hamrick looked out and saw ex-teammates and old buddies. His wife visited with former sorority sisters.

In the world of college athletics, going from UNLV to Marshall usually is considered a bit of a step down, but the Hamricks have plenty of family in the area.

This was, and is again, home for them.

"It's something very special," Hamrick said.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.