After six years of working to revive Pitt’s stature as a prominent school for athletics,… After six years of working to revive Pitt’s stature as a prominent school for athletics, 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 the same job 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, worked at Nebraska twice. 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’s Coach of the Year since arriving at Pitt. Howland called Pederson’s departure a “great loss” for Pitt. “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 yesterday by the University, Chancellor Mark Nordenberg will begin a national search to replace Pederson early in 2003. In the meantime, Marc Boehm, Pitt’s executive associate athletics director since 1997, will serve as the interim athletics director.