UM Athletic Director Leaves For Nebraska
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The University of Miami's athletic department took another blow Thursday as athletic director Shawn Eichorst resigned. The resignation comes as the school is preparing for NCAA sanctions as a result of the Nevin Shapiro allegations.
"I am deeply disappointed in Shawn's departure to the University of Nebraska as I thoroughly enjoyed working with him," UM president Donna Shalala wrote in a statement.
Eichorst left UM to take the same job with the University of Nebraska replacing the retiring Tom Osborne.
According to Huskers Illustrated, the Nebraska job moves Eichorst into elite company among athletic directors. Eichorst will have a starting salary of $973,000, which will make him the third highest paid athletic director in the Big Ten, and sixth highest paid in the nation, Huskers Illustrated reported.
The timing of his resignation is rough for the school, which is preparing for a huge game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. It is the first meeting of UM and Notre Dame since 1990.
The tenure for Eichorst at UM lasted less than 18 months. When he arrived, the school was looking for a basketball coach and eventually settled on Jim Larranga. The Shapiro story broke during Eichorst's tenure, though most of the violations took place before his brief tenure started, and the NCAA is likely to send a notice of allegations by the end of November.
For UM, Eichorst's resignation comes amidst a chaotic backdrop in the department. The school signed on for a multi-year deal to play game at Sun Life Stadium and attendance at the stadium has been very poor, plus the Shapiro scandal, among other issues.
UM's Shalala appointed Blake James, Senior Associate Athletic Director as the acting Athletic Director.
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