UNLV names Koloskie interim AD

Jerry Koloskie will be in charge of UNLV's athletic department until at least the spring.

He was promoted from acting to interim athletic director Thursday, an act that puts him in place until a permanent successor to Mike Hamrick is found. Hamrick returned to his alma mater, Marshall, this month to be AD.

"It's an honor for me to be able to lead the department," said Koloskie, 52. "UNLV is a very special place to me having been here all these years."

He has been at the school for 26 years, the past 10 as senior associate athletic director.

A search is expected to begin in early 2010 and end in the spring for a permanent athletic director, so Koloskie has time to put his stamp on the department. But he said he did not view this as an audition.

"I just think, first of all, I need to do my job," Koloskie said. "I can't control any of that. I feel if I do my job adequately, I won't have time to worry about anything else.

"I don't look at it as a way to try to sell myself."

Koloskie said he has met with the head coaches and is speaking with department heads. He wants to assess the entire program and see what needs to be done, though he has his own ideas and is formulating a plan.

"We're going to move forward," he said. "There are a lot of good things happening and a lot of energy in the department, so my job is to keep that energy high."

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