Wichita State Athletics Director Jim Schaus will take over Ohio University's athletic department on about May 1.
Schaus, 47, comes to Ohio with more than 25 years of administrative experience and a background in marketing and fundraising. He has been Wichita State's athletic director for the past nine years. He will earn a $225,000 annual salary.
Schaus will replace Kirby Hocutt, who leaves for the University of Miami on April 15. Hocutt came to OU in 2005 and earned $176,851 last year. Senior associate athletic Director Amy Dean will hold the position until Schaus arrives in May.
It's everything to me
Schaus said. I think it's the best job in the conference G? It's a chance to come back home to be with family to be at a program that I think has great growth opportunities.
I'm definitely here for the long haul, to make this a long-term home for me and my wife and my family.OU President Roderick McDavis
speaking at a news conference yesterday
said he was pleased Ohio was able to attract someone with Schaus' experience.
Schaus turned six years of red ink into a $1.5 million surplus at Wichita State
McDavis said. Schaus also helped raise $25 million for Wichita State's Roundhouse Renaissance project and secured the largest outright gift in university history
$6 million.
He's one of the most respected athletic directors in the country, McDavis said. We saw someone who had taken a department with a deficit and now has a surplus. That was music to my ears.
Schaus said he hopes to have a new five-year plan for the athletic department within the first year of operation. He also said that he hopes to increase attendance at athletic events and to add value to the university.
The cumulative G.P.A. of Wichita State's student athletes never fell below a 3.0 under Schaus and the school had a 92 percent graduation rate among athletes competing
McDavis said.
I see a program where Ohio is premiere program in the Mid-American Conference, Schaus said. If you're going to put Ohio on the jerseys of those student athletes...you have to be about excellence because anything less than excellence is mediocrity and certainly not acceptable.
Schaus worked as senior associate athletics director at the University of Texas-El Paso and the University of Cincinnati.Schaus also worked in marketing for 17 years. He was the director of marketing for the Washington Redskins from 1983-86 and assistant athletics director of marketing and broadcasting at the University of Oregon. He also managed the marketing departments at Northern Illinois University
UC and UTEP.
Schaus graduated from Purdue University with a degree in journalism and public relations and has a master's degree in athletic administration from West Virginia University.
Today marks the beginning of a new and exciting era, Schaus said. This is a coming home for me.
,",17,Archives,Matt O'Donnell,200804087580midsize.jpeg,Jim Schaus was named Ohio's Director of Athletics yesterday afternoon in a press conference at The Convo.,",",",","
23957,2008-04-08 00:00:00,Schaus named athletic director,",Wichita State Athletics Director Jim Schaus will take over Ohio University's athletic department on about May 1.
Schaus
47
comes to Ohio with more than 25 years of administrative experience and a background in marketing and fundraising. He has been Wichita State's athletic director for the past nine years. He will earn a $225
