Spectrum - Volume 20 Issue 06 October 2, 1997 - Weaver begins duties as athletic director

A non-profit publication of the Office of the University Relations of Virginia Tech,
including The Conductor , a special section of the Spectrum printed 4 times a year

Weaver begins duties as athletic director

By Larry Hincker

Spectrum Volume 20 Issue 06 - October 2, 1997

James C. Weaver, athletic director at Western Michigan University, began his duties as Virginia Tech's new athletic director today. Weaver was the strong first choice of the search committee.
"We are convinced we have the right person for the job. He has years of experience, some in tough, demanding roles. This is a man with depth and breadth," said university President Paul Torgersen.
Before assuming his current role, Weaver was athletic director at University Nevada at Las Vegas. While there, he oversaw rebuilding of an athletic program that incurred numerous NCAA rules infractions. He spent nine years at the University of Florida where his last position was associate athletic director.
"I am delighted at the opportunity to be associated with Virginia Tech. I have been familiar with Tech since boyhood and pleased to be associated with a university known for quality academics and athletics. I hope to carry on the traditions of Tech athletics and build on the great work of the previous AD, Dave Braine," Weaver said.
The search committee chaired by Raymond Smoot, vice president for finance and treasurer, set out to find an individual with comprehensive administrative skills and a commitment to strong compliance measures and gender equity. A key element in the deliberation was a desire to find someone with a vision to lead the Virginia Tech program to increasing competitiveness in all sports and membership in a single sports conference.
The search committee reviewed dossiers of more than 50 candidates. "We were impressed with the overall strength of the field of candidates. But Jim Weaver stood out and ended up our consensus first choice," Smoot said.
The search committee included Arthur J. Keown, R.B. Pamplin professor of finance (chairman, University Athletic Committee); Larry N. Killough, KPMG Peat Marwick, professor of accounting (faculty representative, NCAA); H.A. "Bud" Keever, alumnus, (president, Virginia Tech Athletic Fund); Loren Johnson, student athlete, marketing education major; Julie Sina, director, Scholarship and Financial Aid; Bonnie Henrickson, head coach, Women's Basketball; John Ballein, assistant to head football coach; and Joseph C. Thomas Sr., alumnus, (past president, Virginia Tech Athletic Fund and chairman, Second Century Campaign).
While at Western Michigan, Weaver announced creation of a $7-million football center and stabilized fluctuating revenues and installed a CHAMPS Life Skills program.
Weaver was hired at UNLV after a series of NCAA infractions was made public. He implemented a compliance-and-monitoring program, produced a departmental policy manual, and initiated a life-skills program. While at UNLV he oversaw building an $8.5-million athletic complex, a $1.4-million baseball stadium, and was instrumental in major fundraising.
During his career Weaver has also been a football coach at Villanova University, assistant football coach at Penn State, director of franchise sales at Athletic Attic, and assistant professor at Clarion State College. He is a 1967 graduate of Penn State and played football under legendary coaches Rip Engle and Joe Paterno.
Weaver replaces Dave Braine, who left Virginia Tech in June to become the athletic director at Georgia Tech. Braine was the athletic director at Virginia Tech for nine years and is generally credited with bolstering NCAA compliance measures, greatly improving revenues, achieving full Title IX compliance, and helping to create the Big East Football Conference. Tech's Big East affiliation enabled it to play twice in a major bowl for the first time in university history.