STrib: Nine names rise to top of Gophers AD search

[BleedGopher]

per Joe:

None of the 14 sources could confirm whether there were more than nine people in an advanced stage of the search process, but based on those interviews here is an alphabetical list of candidates who have been contacted and screened for the job by Turnkey:

Phil Esten, Penn State deputy AD
Sean Frazier, Northern Illinois AD
Beth Goetz, Gophers interim AD
David Gutzke, U.S. Bank senior VP
Pete Najarian, CNBC stock analyst
Bill Robertson, WCHA commissioner
Bob Stein, Minneapolis attorney
Gene Taylor, Iowa deputy AD
Craig Thompson, Mountain West commissioner

http://www.startribune.com/nine-names-rise-to-top-of-gophers-ad-search/377478231/

Go Gophers!!

 

[bemidjigopher]

IMO you can cross names five and seven off the list. Mountain West people seem to hope that we take Thompson off their hands. Once the Big Ten formed a hockey conference, the WCHA became the lesser of the two leagues, if that happened under Robertson watch, no thanks. Assuming the final round of interviews is three I would guess Esten, Frazier and Goetz

 

[BleedGopher]

Gaard chimes in:

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Go Gophers!!

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

14 anonymous sources-that's hilarious. Other than Gutze and possibly Thompson ("remains a possibility" is a weird phrase) everyone else named is publically pursuing the position.

 

[station19]

Esten AD

Goetz Deputy AD/Associate AD/#2 spot.....hope she would stay on. This of course is if she doesn't get the top job.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

http://www.twincities.com/2016/04/28/high-praise-for-gophers-ad-candidates-sean-frazier-gene-taylor/

Marcus does some leg work:

Wisconsin athletics director Barry Alvarez said Thursday that Frazier is ready to run a Big Ten program right now. The former Alabama football player was deputy AD at Wisconsin when the Badgers made three Rose Bowl appearances, and he’s had success at Northern Illinois since taking over that school’s athletics department in 2013.

“He’s done nice work at Northern,” Alvarez said. “He was an important part of our operation (at Wisconsin). He had decision-making opportunities. He’s touched all phases of it. There’s no doubt in my mind he would handle a Big Ten job very well.”

Frazier worked with the Badgers under Alvarez for six years, starting in 2007. He was promoted to deputy AD in 2011, and his role included overseeing fundraising efforts of $123 million. He acted as head administrator for football, men’s basketball and men’s hockey. He also served as NCAA men’s hockey committee chair in 2011.

 

[Otis]

Once the Big Ten formed a hockey conference, the WCHA became the lesser of the two leagues, if that happened under Robertson watch, no thanks.

I have to agree with you here. I don't see where the forming of the B1G hockey conference has really helped any of the hockey conferences at all. The WCHA is a shell of its old self and the B1G is pretty watered down compared to the old WCHA. The NCHA seems to be the strongest of the three but doesn't have the growth potential of B1G hockey. Especially with Notre Dame coming in. If only we could get the Sioux into the B1G. smh, I mean the Hawks.

Frazier or Esten would be my picks. Gotta cut ties with Mega-Tongue and move on from Goetz.