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Tuesday, February 18, 1997

Gerald Myers officially new AD at Texas Tech

By MARK BABINECK / Associated Press

LUBBOCK - Texas Tech's Gerald Myers dropped the "interim" from his athletic director's title Monday, keeping the reins of a recently successful program awaiting the outcome of a year-long NCAA investigation.

Tech President Donald Haragan ended nine months of speculation with the announcement. The decision actually became apparent Sunday, when Minnesota associate athletic director Jeff Schemmel, the only other finalist, withdrew his name.

At a news conference Monday, Myers talked about improving Tech athletes' academic performance, which has come under scrutiny lately.

"A lot of work remains to be done. We want to have the best academic services in the country," Myers said, adding that individual coaches must follow through on the commitment.

The NCAA told Texas Tech last Feb. 28 that it was investigating possible men's basketball and football violations. The NCAA notice followed a series of Houston Chronicle stories containing allegations of academic fraud.

The Chronicle reported Sunday that unidentified sources said junior running back Byron Hanspard and outgoing senior lineman Casey Jones had 0.00 grade-point averages last semester.

The two played in the Alamo Bowl despite not having passed any classes. There is no NCAA rule preventing the practice.

Also Sunday, Schemmel took his name out of the hat, saying he didn't want to uproot his family. Haragan emphasized Monday that Myers already had edged out Schemmel in a close race.

"Gerald Myers was our choice," said Haragan, who was sensitive to questions addressing Schemmel's withdrawal. "I don't know the timing that everything occurred, but let me emphasize that Gerald was our choice."

Myers, 60, was an all-league basketball player for Tech in 1958, the school's first year in the Southwest Conference. He coached the team for 20-1/2 seasons, ending his tenure in 1991 with a 326-261 record.

He has been an administrator since then, becoming associate athletic director in 1995 then interim AD in June after Bob Bockrath left Tech to become Alabama's athletic director.

In his eight months on the job, Myers has overseen Tech's first year in the new Big 12 Conference.

"I'm looking forward to working with these coaches and this staff," Myers said. "I'm one of the luckiest alumni from this school."

Haragan touted Myers' continuity in the program as a major factor, saying that made him an excellent choice to handle the results of the NCAA probe, whatever - and whenever - they may be.

In recent years, Tech teams have been prominent nationally.

Sheryl Swoopes led the women's basketball team to the 1993 NCAA championship, the men's team went deep in the tournament last year and the football team - first led by star running backs Byron "Bam" Morris, then Hanspard - has played in four straight bowl games.

During the drawn-out selection process, many Tech coaches told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal that they wanted to see Myers take the job permanently.

"It was never about pressure," said James Dickey, who followed Myers as the basketball coach and was an ardent supporter. "It was about supporting someone deserving of this opportunity." Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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