Names begin to surface in UNLV AD search

UNLV’s advertisement for a new athletic director closes Wednesday, and though the university is still in the vetting phase, several early names have emerged as potential candidates.

The names were provided by at least three sources with inside information of the search or some of the potential candidates themselves, but they didn’t want to be named because of the sensitive nature of the process.

This is not an exhaustive list, and new candidates could surface later in the process.

Here are those names listed in alphabetical order:

— Mike Cragg, Duke deputy athletic director/operations. Also is the senior administrator in charge of men’s basketball and helped found the Duke Basketball Legacy Fund, which has raised more than $115 million. Is the point man on negotiating the school’s relationship with Nike. Is from the West and graduated from Washington.

— David Kahn, former Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations. Spent four seasons with the Timberwolves until being let go in May 2013. Consulted with UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero in a $136 million upgrade of Pauley Pavilion, according to UCLA Magazine.

— Mike Ketcham, Arizona senior associate athletic director. Among responsibilities are the daily operations of men’s basketball and football, which includes handling budgets and fundraising. Was an integral part of a $72 million campaign for a football facility and a $30 million campaign for renovations to McKale Center. Also was the men’s golf coach at San Jose State in 1994-96.

— Danny Morrison, former Texas Christian athletic director and former president of the Carolina Panthers. Was with the Panthers since 2009, but resigned last month because of a desire to return to college athletics. Had a big hand in renovating Bank of America Stadium and the team’s training camp. Was the AD at TCU when the Horned Frogs joined the Mountain West. His name also surfaced in the search for an athletic director at Tennessee.

— Josh Rebholz, UCLA senior associate athletic director, external relations. Helps oversee an athletic department that generates close to $100 million in annual revenue, and since being hired in 2011, has increased the number of those donating at least $25,000 each year from 16 to more than 220. Was a finalist for the AD job at San Diego State, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

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