After six years of working to revive Pitt’s stature as a prominent school for sports,… After six years of working to revive Pitt’s stature as a prominent school for sports, athletics director Steve Pederson was hired Dec. 20 to fill the same position at his alma mater, the University of Nebraska.

The move came after weeks of speculation that Pederson was a top candidate to replace former Nebraska athletics director Bill Byrne, who recently left to take a position at Texas A’M.

“It is clear to me that Steve Pederson is the right choice for this position and we are pleased to have him back at Nebraska in a new role,” Nebraska Chancellor Harvey Perlman said.

Pederson, a Nebraska native, has worked at Nebraska twice before. From 1980 to 1986, he was a sports information assistant and football recruiting coordinator. He also served as associate athletics director for football operations from 1994 to 1996.

Pederson leaves a lasting impression on Pitt, as he was responsible for hiring men’s basketball coach Ben Howland, women’s basketball coach Traci Waites and football coach Walt Harris, all of whom have been honored as the Big East Coach of the Year since arriving at Pitt.

“The past six years have been rewarding in so many ways,” Pederson said in a statement released Dec. 20. “I can honestly say that there was no other job in college athletics that would make me leave the University of Pittsburgh.”

Howland called Pederson’s departure a “great loss” for the University.

“We are losing the architect of our program’s rise,” Howland said.

“He got us to say ‘we can’ when many people were saying ‘we can’t,'” Harris said. “Being able to join forces with him to build something special has been a tremendously gratifying experience.”

According to a statement released by the University Dec. 20, Chancellor Mark Nordenberg will conduct a national search to find a permanent replacement for Pederson. In the meantime, Marc Boehm, Pitt’s executive associate athletics director since 1997, will serve as the interim athletics director.

“The University of Pittsburgh will always be indebted to Steve Pederson for his many important contributions to our progress,” Nordenberg said.