The quest for Pitt’s next athletics director started Tuesday when Chancellor Mark Nordenberg… The quest for Pitt’s next athletics director started Tuesday when Chancellor Mark Nordenberg announced the committee that will help him conduct a nationwide search.

“I cannot imagine a better position in college athletics today. The past few years have been exciting for everyone who cares about our program, and the best is yet to come,” Nordenberg said in a released statement. “I know we will attract outstanding candidates.”

The committee will be chaired by Jerome Cochran, Pitt’s executive vice chancellor, who also headed the committee that hired Steve Pederson during the University’s last search in 1996. Also returning from that committee are Susan Albrecht, John Conomikes and Thomas Bigley.

Albrecht is the associate dean of the School of Nursing as well as the University’s faculty representative to the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Conomikes is the chair of the executive committee of Hearst Argyle Television Inc. and the chair of the Pitt Board of Trustees’ athletics committee. Bigley is a retired managing partner of Ernst ‘ Young and immediate past chair of the Pitt Board of Trustees’ athletics committee.

Four other new members will aid in the search. Brian Beinecke was a linebacker on the Panthers football team and is currently a graduate student in Pitt’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Donna Sanft is Pitt’s associate athletics director for student life and compliance as well as a Panther varsity letter winner of distinction.

John Elliot is the director of Pitt’s Internal Audit Department and chair of the University’s NCAA certification steering committee. Rounding out the group is Kirk Bruce, Pitt’s assistant athletics director for Olympic sports, former women’s basketball coach and Pitt varsity letter winner of distinction.

Nordenberg said he will work closely with the committee during the search. He appointed Marc Boehm interim athletics director Dec. 20, 2002, after Pederson accepted the position of athletics director at the University of Nebraska. Boehm had served as Pitt’s associate athletics director since 1997 and is a candidate for the permanent athletics director position.

“Because we have a person of Marc Boehm’s abilities serving as interim athletics director, we can devote whatever time may be required to bring this effort to the best possible conclusion,” Nordenberg said.