ENMU to hold second search for AD

PORTALES — A pool for the next athletic director at Eastern New Mexico University started at 38 candidates. It was pared down to three finalists in August.

Now it’s at zero, as the school is going back to the drawing board.

Jeff Elwell, ENMU system chancellor and Portales campus president, said Tuesday the college will not hire any of its finalists and do another national search.

The three finalists were Michael Scarano, associate athletic director at California Baptist; John Lewis, Bluefield State athletic director; and Casey Lish, associate athletic director of development at West Texas A&M.

“They all had their strengths,” Elwell said, “but there wasn’t anybody the search committee and administration could agree on.”

Elwell hopes somebody can be hired to start on Jan. 1. The school would like to have somebody from a university with a successful football program, but Elwell said those candidates would be too involved in football to apply for another position until around November.

The position has been open since late June, when Greg Waggoner resigned.

Jeff Long, vice president for student affairs, has handled the interim position since Waggoner’s resignation. He is not a candidate for the permanent position, but Elwell said the administration and search committee feel comfortable starting a new hiring round because Long has done well in the interim role.

Elwell said the biggest issues without a permanent athletic director come on game days, but some issues have been alleviated with Michael Molina now aboard as assistant AD and facilities operator.

The position may pay a little bit more than $96,000 annually, Elwell said, but he doesn’t expect to offer below that figure.