UCA - AD Reportedly Resigns

[TexasTerror]

Purple Pride posted this on another thread and I've caught wind of the situation reading BearFan101's posts on UCAFans and KatFans. Apparently, the UCA Athletic Director has resigned.

No official word posted on the school's site or that of the local fishwrap just yet. This is a huge gap in the athletic administration of a school that is in the process of the biggest move their athletic department has made, a jump to Division I athletics.

We'll have to wait and see what our friends in Conway, Arkansas have to say and see what comes out from the school in the next few hours, days...

[rokamortis]

Interesting, wonder why.

Also - is I-AA big enough for 2 Conways?

[walliver]

Also - is I-AA big enough for 2 Conways?

Mr. Twitty is the only Conway in my book:D

[Purple Pride]

It's true. Vance Strange resigned as AD yesterday, effective immediately.:hurray:

[TexasTerror]

It's true. Vance Strange resigned as AD yesterday, effective immediately.:hurray:

Where's the story on UCASports.com? Was there something in the LCD?

[Purple Pride]

Where's the story on UCASports.com? Was there something in the LCD?

It's not in the press yet. Just happened yesterday p.m.

[TexasTerror]

Strange resigns as athletic director at UCA

University of Central Arkansas Athletic Director Vance Strange has resigned his post effectively immediately according to an Internet Web site - ucafans.com.

Attempts by the Log Cabin Democrat to reach UCA President Lu Hardin and Strange were not successful by press deadlines.

Strange had been instrumental in overseeing UCA's move from NCAA Division II to Division I. Strange was in his third year as athletic director at UCA.

http://www.thecabin.net/stories/050506/spo_0505060035.shtml

[Bear Fan 101]

it's funny the only story the local newspaper coud come up with was from our website....you'd think they could have their own sources to get information from...I guess not

[Purple Pride]

it's funny the only story the local newspaper coud come up with was from our website....you'd think they could have their own sources to get information from...I guess not

Come on 101, look at the source. I wouldn't even use that paper to wrap a fish.

[TexasTerror]

it's funny the only story the local newspaper coud come up with was from our website....you'd think they could have their own sources to get information from...I guess not

I think this was a 'nod' to you BearFan101 as a great source of knowledge for UCA Athletics...

Looking forward to having you as a full-fledged member of the conference so we can take advantage of your knowledge of a conference member!

[Purple Pride]

The Log Cabin is a little too busy with Toad Suck Daze to worry about something like news.:bang:

[Bear Fan 101]

Come on 101, look at the source. I wouldn't even use that paper to wrap a fish.


True true, I was hoping to see if they hada story about it in their online edition, but I guess not.

TT, we really do look forward to this move up! Hopefully we can get together when the time comes. I still have a TON to learn about all our new SLC brothers.

[TexasTerror]

What's the deal with Ken Hatfield?

I'm a big Rice fan and saw you mentioned him as a possible AD candidate. I know he's back in Arkansas (or atleast in the process of moving back). What's the deal?

[TexasTerror]

TT, we really do look forward to this move up! Hopefully we can get together when the time comes. I still have a TON to learn about all our new SLC brothers.

I'm now in the NOLA area for the time being, though pending hurricane season, I may be in Houston/Huntsville for UCA/SHSU game just like I was unexpectedly for the 2005 SHSU football season. If you swing down for Nicholls or SELA games in 2007, we can meet up for sure.

[Bear Fan 101]

Well I'm not totally sure what the deal is, I just know that he put some feelers out a couple of weeks ago, and we reciprocated a bit, but I'm not sure it really has gone any farther than that to be truthful. I know he is a great man, but like I said over there on our board, I have no clue how any of the 3 I've heard mentioned so far will make AD's. Or if we go after someone else. Another poster on our board also made a prediction John Thompson would get hired...who knows....

BTW for all you out there reading this thread in no order, Harold Horton, Ken Hatfield and James Dickey are the 3 names I've heard about so far in connection with the opening .

[Purple Pride]

Anyone know what the average D1AA AD makes per year? We were giving around 90K.

[TexasTerror]

Anyone know what the average D1AA AD makes per year? We were giving around 90K.

Not a clue, but from what I recall, most ADs I used to know about made low six figures from $100,000 to $120,000 (which I know is the range of the SHSU AD)...

[Purple Pride]

Thanx TT

[Bear Fan 101]

UCA Purple Circle & Lettermen's Club Members:

With a sad heart, I would like to announce that Vance Strange has resigned as the UCA Athletic Director. His last day is today. If you have any specific questions, please contact Tommy Jackson, Vice-President of Communications with the President's Office. That number is (501) 450-3170. I cannot confirm when or if there will be an official announcement. I know rumors having been circulating out there, so I wanted the information to come from me so each of you would know it was correct. I promise to keep you informed about the process of hiring a new Athletic Director for UCA. As always, I cannot express enough how much we appreciate your support and commitment to UCA Athletics.

Thank You & Go Bears
Terri Conder-Johnson
UCA Athletics
Executive Director-Purple Circle/Lettermen's Club
(501)450-3258 Office
(501)450-6259 Cell
[email protected]
www.ucasports.com

[TexasTerror]

UCA Purple Circle & Lettermen's Club Members:

With a sad heart, I would like to announce that Vance Strange has resigned as the UCA Athletic Director. His last day is today. If you have any specific questions, please contact Tommy Jackson, Vice-President of Communications with the President's Office. That number is (501) 450-3170. I cannot confirm when or if there will be an official announcement. I know rumors having been circulating out there, so I wanted the information to come from me so each of you would know it was correct. I promise to keep you informed about the process of hiring a new Athletic Director for UCA. As always, I cannot express enough how much we appreciate your support and commitment to UCA Athletics.

Thank You & Go Bears
Terri Conder-Johnson
UCA Athletics
Executive Director-Purple Circle/Lettermen's Club
(501)450-3258 Office
(501)450-6259 Cell
[email protected]
www.ucasports.com

Thanks for the post...

Atleast now we have some confirmation about the direction of the UCA Athletic program from someone directly affiliated with Central Arkansas.

[Bear Fan 101]

Vance Strange, athletic director at the University of Central Arkansas, has resigned his position effective immediately. Announcement was made Friday, May 5 at the quarterly meeting of the university’s Board of Trustees.

Strange was hired at the university on May 15, 2003 after a distinguished career in private business.

"Vance Strange has served the University of Central Arkansas well in many capacities - as a student, coach and athletic director - " said President Lu Hardin. "He helped expand the athletic program and created credibility with the City of Conway and State of Arkansas. We are indebted to Vance for his service. No one loves UCA more than Vance Strange."

Hardin said a search for Strange's replacement is now underway.

Strange holds two degrees from the University of Central Arkansas, a Master of Science in Political Science in 1966 and a Master of Science in Physical Education in 1971. He also served on the coaching staff at UCA early in his career. From 1975-1978 he was both an assistant football coach and the track and field coach for the university.

During this stint, he won an Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference Track and Field Championship and coached Monte Coleman, who later became an all-pro player in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins.

Strange has worked in athletic positions at Henderson State University, Hendrix College, Austin College in Sherman, Texas, and the Conway public school district. From 1963-2003 Strange also worked in sales and development for J.A. Riggs Tractor Company in Little Rock before retiring in 2003 as vice president of corporate development. He also served as president of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and is active in a number of community and volunteer efforts.

Strange is the seventh full-time individual to serve as UCA Athletic Director. Frank Koon was the first to be officially recognized by UCA as athletics director in 1955. He served as AD until 1970. Since then, the athletic directors have been Cliff Horton, 1970 -1979; Dr. Sid Simpson, 1979 - 81; Rex Lovell and Bill Stephens 1981-1988; Stephens, 1988 -1999 and Dr. William Lide, 2000-2003.

Cody Usher
Assistant Sports Information Director
University of Central Arkansas
Phone: (501) 450-5695
Fax: (501) 450-5740


and...

http://www.ucasports.com/sport.asp?action=news&sportid=16&article=1334

[Bear Fan 101]

besides Hatfiled, Dickey, and Harold Horton....it seems as if John Thompson might be making a comeback....

[Bear Fan 101]

http://getoffus.com/2006/05/strange_resigns_as_ad.html

[TexasTerror]

UCA athletic director Strange steps down
BY PETE PERKINS
Posted on Saturday, May 6, 2006

The University of Central Arkansas board of trustees announced the resignation of athletic director Vance Strange on Friday in Conway.

Strange said he told Central Arkansas President Lu Hardin of his decision Tuesday.

“I don’t want to do anything to injure the momentum we have going at UCA,” Strange said. “I still want everyone to support the program through the transition.

“ Through conversations I’ve had with the president, I just felt like it was time for me to step away. I submitted my resignation, and I guess they accepted it. I told the president I would be happy to help the university work through this transition.”

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/153862

[TexasTerror]

What happened to national searches? UCA is going "limited"...


Hardin said he will name an interim athletic director early next week, then formulate plans for a search.

"It will be a limited search rather than a national search," he said. "By limited, I mean we'll look at and ask for applications from persons with UCA ties, Arkansas ties or those who have extraordinary experience in athletic administration.

"I've heard rumors already and I can say absolutely at this point that no agreement has been made with anyone, there is no clear candidate under consideration and no preliminary talks have been initiated with anyone."

http://www.thecabin.net/stories/050606/loc_0506060014.shtml

[Bear Fan 101]

well TT, believe it or not John Thompson, Harold Horton, Ken Hatfield and James Dickey all have national D1 experiences and Arkansas experiences so it is technically a national search. But being limited all have great UCA ties as well....Now there maybe more namesi nthe running, but these are the 4 I have heard repeatedly to this point in the 2 1/2 day situation.

[Bear Fan 101]

http://www.thecabin.net/stories/050606/spo_0506060040.shtml
Strange development: It's sudden, sad and stinging

This one stings a lot. It seemed like a perfect marriage set up three years ago when Vance Strange came on board as athletic director at the school that shaped so much of his career.

Strange not only bled purple; he sweated purple....

another what I call editorial from the Log Cabin....they are all on it now about 2 days late.

[Purple Pride]

Press conference today (Wed) at 11a.m. to name the new AD. Rumor says it's John Thompson.

[Bear Fan 101]

http://www.thecabin.net/stories/051006/loc_0510060006.shtml

Thompson may be UCA's next athletic director

By DAVID McCOLLUM
Log Cabin Staff Writer

John Thompson, a former University of Central Arkansas football player who has made several college stops as a football defensive coordinator, is expected to be announced today as the school's eighth fulltime athletic director.

The announcement, at an 11 a.m. news conference, will come almost exactly five days after the sudden resignation of Vance Strange, the athletic director the past three years.

Lu Hardin, UCA president, would neitherconfirm nor deny reports Tuesday of Thompson's impending hiring. However, several Conway sources with connections to UCA confirmed Tuesday that Thompson was the choice....
-------

Now as mentioned in the article a little later down, we have lots of paper work to complete by June 1 to hand into the NCAA about the move up.

[JoshUCA]

John Thompson IS UCA's new AD.
http://www.thehometownchannel.com/sports/9191543/detail.html
Former Hogs Coach Takes UCA AD Post

POSTED: 11:22 am CDT May 10, 2006
UPDATED: 11:27 am CDT May 10, 2006

CONWAY, Ark. -- The University of Central Arkansas announced Wednesday that former University of Arkansas assistant football coach John Thompson will be athletic director at the Conway campus.

Thompson will lead UCA as it moves from NCAA Division II to Division I-AA during the next school year.

Thompson was introduced today during a news conference on the campus. Thompson graduated from Central Arkansas and replaces Vance Strange, who resigned last week.

[TexasTerror]

Quick decision there by UCA!

Thanks for posting...

Seems like the folks on UCAFans.com aren't too thrilled with the extent of the search and they are interested in the relations with Conque...

[Bear Fan 101]

I'm glad they made the quick decision, with all the paper work Vance Strange left to be totally completed by Thompson before June 1 to hand into the NCAA they almost had to make a quick decision.

I'm in the thrilled category, but he has a lot of work to do with paperwork, fundraising, and then he has got to straighten out a few academic issues from what I understand...other than that if his success can even amount to part of his attitude and work ethic, we Bears wil ble happy for years to come, but it wont be easy and most of us know it.

UCAFans.com Article (http://www.ucafans.com/article.php?article_id=149)

Official UCASports.com Article (http://www.ucasports.com/sport.asp?action=news&sportid=16&article=1341)

Getoffus.com Article (http://getoffus.com/2006/05/the_thompson_era_begins.html)

[Purple Pride]

THOMPSON NAMED UCA ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
ADMINISTRATION * May 10, 2006

CONWAY, Ark_ John Thompson was named athletic director at the
University of Central Arkansas at a press conference Wednesday morning in the
university's board of trustees' meeting room. Thompson, an Arkansas
native and alumnus of UCA, succeeds Vance Strange who resigned the position
last week.

"We have found the right individual in John Thompson," said university
president Lu Hardin, who introduced Thompson to the media and a large
contingent of UCA supporters. "I'm confident John can get the job done
and continue the vision Vance Strange developed. I am very pleased to
welcome him back to the UCA family."

"I look forward to becoming athletic director at one of the great
universities in the nation," Thompson said. "It will be a privilege to work
under Lu Hardin's aggressive leadership. For a university to go from
8,500 students to 12,000 students in four years is extraordinary.
Together we have an unlimited future."

During his 24-year coaching career, Thompson was recognized as a top
defensive mind and had experience at five Southeastern Conference schools
- Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, LSU and South Carolina. Thompson also
served as head coach at East Carolina University. While he was with the
Pirates, he coached a total of three first-team All-Conference USA
players and had seven players chosen to the Freshman All-Conference team.

As a defensive coordinator, Thompson's units led their respective
conferences in total defense three different times. Twenty-eight of his
defensive players were drafted or signed with National Football League
teams, 40 earned all-conference honors, five were named All-America, and
one former Northwestern State linebacker Gary Reasons has been inducted
into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Thompson served as the defensive coordinator at Florida, Arkansas, LSU,
South Carolina, Memphis, Southern Mississippi, Louisiana Tech and
Northwestern State. A native of Forrest City, Thompson began his coaching
career in the high school ranks in 1977 while pursuing his bachelor's
degree at UCA. He graduated from UCA in 1978 and continued to coach high
school football until moving on to the college ranks at the University
of Arkansas as a graduate assistant for head coach Lou Holtz in 1982.

Thompson was the defensive coordinator at Northwestern State from
1983-86. He went to Alabama to coach the linebackers for Bill Curry in 1987
before returning to Northwestern State for the 1988 and '89 seasons. In
1990, he became defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech and in his two
seasons there, his defense ranked No. 8 nationally in rushing defense,
No. 19 in scoring defense, and No. 23 in total defense.

Thompson was the mastermind behind the dominant Southern Mississippi
defense of the mid-1990s as he took over as defensive coordinator for the
Golden Eagles in 1992 and was given the additional title of assistant
head coach in 1993. He remained with that program until 1998. Along the
way, Southern Miss won or shared two Conference USA titles, ranked
among the top 25 nationally in scoring defense twice and made two bowl
appearances.

He had comparable accomplishments in 1999 as defensive coordinator at
Memphis as his Tiger defense ranked 11th nationally in scoring defense
and 20th in total defense.

In December, 1999, Thompson made his move to the SEC when he was named
Nick Saban's first defensive coordinator at LSU. Afforded with the
opportunity to move back to his home state, Thompson was co-defensive
coordinator at Arkansas in 2000, as the Razorbacks were second in the nation
in pass defense and led the SEC in both pass defense and total defense.
As the sole defensive coordinator in 2001, Thompson helped lead the U o
fA to the 2002 Cotton Bowl.

Thompson was appointed defensive coordinator at Florida in 2002 and the
Gators advanced to the Outback Bowl against Michigan. Allowing just
162.4 passing yards per game, his Florida pass defense ranked seventh in
the nation and was the best by a Gator team since 1989.

He recently moved to Conway after serving as defensive coordinator at
South Carolina.