SMUt hires UCF AD

NT80 · March 24, 2006

SMU introduces new AD

01:27 PM CST on Friday, March 24, 2006

By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News

UNIVERSITY PARK – SMU introduced Steve Orsini as the school's new athletic director Friday.

He replaces Jim Copeland, who will retire May 31.

Length of contract and financial terms for Orsini were not made available.

Orsini, 49, who was unavailable for comment, leaves Central Florida, where he was athletic director since June 2002.

On Thursday afternoon, Orsini was introduced to several members of the SMU athletic department, including women's basketball coach Rhonda Rompola. Prior to that meeting, Orsini met with football coach Phil Bennett. Orsini spoke with Bennett again following Thursday's spring football practice.

"He has the right combination of skills to continue moving SMU's athletics program forward," SMU president Gerald Turner said.

"In addition to his experience building an athletics program similar in size to ours, he brings a love of Dallas and business expertise that will help us build resources and fan support."

In February, Orsini was in the process of negotiating a new contract at UCF, but talks stalled.

That same month, Copeland announced that he was retiring.

SMU used the Plano-based search firm of Eastman and Beaudine to help Turner in the hiring process. SMU had a pool of 34 candidates to choose from and paired it down to 17 before five interviewed with Turner.

SMU senior associate athletic directors Carlton Cooper and Scott Secules expressed interest in the position and were told to send resumes and letters of recommendation to Eastman and Beaudine. Cooper and Secules were not interviewed.

The 15-member search committee met only twice and didn't interview any candidates. The search committee met Orsini on Thursday and agreed to hire him on the recommendation of Turner.

"I'm excited about the guy," said Gerald Ford, a prominent SMU booster and a member of the search committee. "He's a successful guy, and that's what I like about him."

In his brief tenure at UCF, Orsini increased the athletic budget by 70 percent. He also helped the school move from the Atlantic Sun Conference to Conference USA. Six UCF teams advanced to NCAA postseason play in 2004-05.

Orsini oversaw major facility additions and renovations at UCF, with the biggest a new on-campus football stadium.

Orsini's Dallas ties come from working for the Cowboys from 1984 to 1993. He was hired by Tex Schramm as the ticket manager and eventually was promoted to director of administration.

"I've known [Orsini] for a while, and I really think he's a terrific administrator," C-USA commissioner Britton Banowsky said. "What he did at UCF is set a vision, and I'm sure he will do the same for SMU. It's a great fit, and he's a proven leader. SMU is lucky to have him."

March 25, 2006

Wow! Talk about the 'Where Are They Now? File'. SMU Assistant AD Scott Secules must be the guy who was the quarterback my first year at Virginia. He led the team to a bowl win over BYU that year.