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Schexnayer Steps Down As Athletics Director/Press Conference TranscriptsSchexnayer Steps Down As Athletics Director/Press Conference Transcripts SCHEXNAYDER STEPS DOWN AS ATHLETICS DIRECTOR July 26, 2005 – Matt Hebert, Sports Information LAFAYETTE – University of Louisiana at Lafayette Director of Athletics The University will begin the process of finding a replacement for Schexnayder was named as Louisiana’s acting director of athletics on He was named to the director of athletics post permanently in June 1994 Under Schexnayder’s watch the Ragin’ Cajuns athletics complex saw vast Schexnayder handled the football scheduling duties for Schexnayder was a three-year football standout for the Cajuns from NELSON SCHEXNAYDER’S TIMELINE WITH LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE ATHLETICS AD heads for sidelines July 27, 2005 – Dan McDonald Schexnayder Timeline 1968 – Joins USL football team of head coach Russ Faulkinberry as a wide receiver. 1970 – Catches two touchdown passes from quarterback George Coussan in the Grantland Rice Bowl in Baton Rouge, the Cajuns’ last bowl appearance. 1973 – Receives bachelor’s degree from USL. 1976 – Receives juris doctorate from Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans, joins staff of firm of Phelps, Dunbar, Marks, Claverie and Sims in New Orleans. 1977 – Joins staff of what would become three years later the firm of Hawley & Schexnayder, Ltd., in Lafayette. 1989 – Served as president of UL Alumni Association. 1990 – Joined UL staff as development officer for athletics. 1991 – Named associate director of athletics. 1991 – Cajun athletic program joins newly-organized Sun Belt Conference. 1992 – Cajun men’s basketball team returns to NCAA Tournament for first time since 1983 1993 – Named acting athletic director. 1993 – Cajun softball team makes first of four appearances in the Women’s College World Series, finishing third nationally. 1993 – Cajun men’s and women’s track teams each sweep indoor and outdoor conference titles, a first in Sun Belt history. 1994 – Named director of athletics. 1996 – Cajun football team beats nationally-ranked Texas A&M 29-22 in home opener, arguably the biggest win in the school’s football history. 2000 – Cajun baseball team makes first-ever College World Series appearance, finishing tied for third. 2001 – Sun Belt begins football competition with Cajuns as charter member. 2004 – Cajuns hire Glynn Cyprien as head men’s basketball coach, only to fire him three months later for false degree claims. 2005 – Cajun women’s basketball team wins first conference title in school history. 2005 – Cajun men’s basketball team makes first back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances since 1983. 2005 – Resigns as UL athletic director. Right up until his last minutes as athletic director at the University of Louisiana, Nelson Schexnayder was trying to bring more funding into the Ragin’ Cajun department. "We have a lot of quality people that have made the most of what they have," Schexnayder said Tuesday. "I only wish I’d been able to get them more money." Schexnayder officially announced his resignation as UL’s athletic director Tuesday afternoon to a packed room of coaches, athletic staff and supporters, after informing members of the UL staff of his imminent departure earlier in the day. Schexnayder, who has served as athletic director since Jan. 1, 1993 – the longest tenure in the UL post since Whitey Urban – will be reassigned within the university. He said during the announcement that he would assume a legal counsel post for the school, but those details are still pending. UL President Ray Authement was not at the press conference and was not available for comment Tuesday. "This decision was reached late last week," Schexnayder said. "Dr. Authement and I met, and we decided this was a good time for this to happen. Our conversations are private and always have been, but he’s always supported me in what we’ve tried to do. He has a great love for athletics." Schexnayder, a former three-year football letterman for the Cajuns and a 1973 UL graduate, was adamant that his resignation was not related to recent NCAA inquiries into allegations made by basketball recruit Berry Jordan. The NCAA opened a "fact-finding mission" this spring that is still continuing. "This has nothing to do with whatever allegations have been made of the athletic department and the university," he said. "I strongly believe that nothing will come of those and I and the members of our staff are not involved in any wrongdoing." Schexnayder said he expected Authement to appoint an interim athletic director and to begin accepting applications for the post, anticipating a timetable of two to four months. But he was quick to add that he would not be a part of the selection process. "I won’t make any recommendation," he said. "I don’t want someone to come in as my selection, or someone to come in that isn’t my selection." David Walker, the university’s director of auxiliary services who has been involved with athletics on NCAA and other legal issues, was rumored to be a leading candidate for the interim AD role. Two athletic staff members and one university administrator identified him as a candidate Tuesday. Walker was also unavailable for comment Tuesday. Schexnayder was often emotional during his 20-minute appearance Tuesday afternoon at the Cajundome, thanking former UL football coach and Athletic Director Nelson Stokley, former Vice President and current University of Louisiana system ____ Joe Savoie and Authement for the chance to join the university staff and later to become athletic director. He also thanked former and current staff members, coaches and athletes for their efforts in a budget-challenged program. The UL athletic budget is approximately $6.7 million annually, less than one-tenth the budget of some Division I-A programs. "If our athletes and coaches had the money they have, we’d blow their socks off," Schexnayder said. "I wish I’d been able to encourage more people to buy tickets and come to the games. "It’s tough to look at some of our coaches, asking for things they’d like to do in their programs and things that make perfect sense, and we have no money to do them." Despite the budgetary woes, the UL athletic program has seen ongoing improvements to facilities and has had on-field success since Schexnayder took over as acting director of athletics in 1993 and became full-time AD in 1994. He mentioned the College World Series appearance of the baseball team, four trips to the Women’s College World Series in softball, post-season appearances in men’s basketball and the rejuvenation of the women’s basketball program on Tuesday. "Our teams have had tremendous success," he said, "and our department has supported our teams well. Our sports have improved, and we have great facilities. Some schools have better facilities, some of them on our schedules, but not many." The native of St. James spent 13 years in private law practice before becoming the university’s development officer for athletics in 1990, one year after serving as president of the UL Alumni Association. He was named associate athletics director in 1991 and became acting AD in 1993 when Stokley stepped aside from athletic director duties to devote more time to his head football coaching role. Schexnayder recently concluded contract negotiations with women’s basketball coach J. Kelley Hall on a four-year pact, and was involved with baseball coach Tony Robichaux in contract talks before Tuesday’s announcement. Robichaux’s current contract expired June 30. "We were in discussions, and now we’ll do that with the next athletic director," said Robichaux, who just completed his 11th season and is among the nation’s youngest coaches with 600 career wins. "I’ll always be indebted to him. When you’re in college athletics you work for your university, but you also work for and with your athletic director. He’ll be sorely missed." Originally published July 27, 2005 Colleagues surprised by Schexnayder resignation July 27, 2005 – Dan McDonald Nelson Schexnayder caught his University of Louisiana athletic department staff off guard Tuesday, even though some perceived a slight change in his demeanor over the past few weeks. "He’s been more relaxed the last week or two," said coordinator of athletic development Gerald Hebert. "I looked up in the stands during a baseball camp a couple of weeks ago, and he was sitting up there smoking a cigar and watching the camp." Schexnayder stepped down as athletic director of the Ragin’ Cajun program Tuesday, telling his senior staff in a regular Tuesday meeting, making phone calls to most of the head coaches Tuesday morning and circulating a memo to all athletic staff members. "When Nelson called me this morning to tell me, it was a total surprise," said Student Athlete Center director and academic advisor Danny Cottonham, "Nothing that’s happened recently has indicated anything like that. I think everyone’s pretty surprised." "I was stunned," said women’s basketball coach J. Kelley Hall, who was attending an AAU girls tournament in Tennessee Tuesday. "I hadn’t heard anything, no rumblings at all. He called me about 10:30 and said that he was going to resign and stay with the university in some capacity. "He said he wanted to thank me for everything I’ve done, and that he was proud of what we’ve accomplished and where we’ve been able to take the program." "That he’d call and thank the coaches doesn’t surprise me," said long-time fan and program supporter Steve Gossen. "He’s always been a class act." Schexnayder said at a Tuesday press conference that he and UL president Dr. Ray Authement had reached a decision on his reassignment late last week. "When you make a decision like this, you know it’s something he’s thought about a lot," said head football coach Rickey Bustle, who returned from Sun Belt Conference Football Media Day Tuesday. "He’s done this for quite a long time, so it probably wasn’t an easy decision, but it sounds like it’s what he wants to do and I’ll support him in whatever he wants to do." Bustle got his call from Schexnayder at a medical office building near Lafayette General Medical Center, where he had raced from the Sun Belt activities to get relief from a kidney stone attack. "I don’t remember much from the call," he said. "I wasn’t sure if somebody was kidding me." "In my nine years here, Nelson has always been very supportive," said Cajun men’s basketball coach Robert Lee, who took UL to the NCAA Tournament last year in his first year as head coach. "He was that way with Marty Fletcher, Jessie Evans and all the assistants. You always knew he had your back. "The success we’ve had in athletics at this school has been unbelievable with what we’ve had, and that’s a tribute to the coaches and to Nelson. "Did I anticipate it? No, not at all." "From an administrative standpoint, I’ll remember how he worked for coaches and worked with coaches," softball coach Stefni Lotief said. "There was never a place or time when I wasn’t welcomed with open arms and he would try to work out a solution to whatever we needed. He’s been there through thick and thin for us. "He made going to work easy, and what UL teams have accomplished while he’s been here has been phenomenal." "I will always be indebted to him," said baseball coach Tony Robichaux. "When my wife and I visited with Nelson and M’Liss, I felt comfortable here. As a coach, you work with the athletic director and that’s one big reason we came here from McNeese. "I’ve been here 11 years, and I’m glad I was able to get him through the gates at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha (the 2000 College World Series). "His great gift was that he hired people, then let them do what they do best. When (assistant) Wade Simoneaux left for Louisiana Tech, I told Nelson I had three candidates I was looking at. He told me ‘You’re hiring the assistants.’ "I’m going to miss him. He’s been a great A.D." Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters was meeting with the rest of the league athletic directors Tuesday when told of Schexnayder’s announcement. "He called this morning and we played phone tag," said Waters, who himself served as associate athletic director at then-USL two decades ago. "He’s been great to work with. He’s a very analytical thinker, something you would expect with his legal background, and he brought a lot to the table for our league. I’m very fond of him." "He’s done a good job and he’s done it for a long time," said supporter Dan Carroll at Tuesday’s announcement. "He’s brought us a long way even with all the funding problems. He’s done a lot with a little." Schexnayder was noted for occasional outbursts of temper, but long-time UL instructor and Internet Athletic Network director Ed Dugas said that Schexnayder’s passion and love for and devotion to the Cajun athletic program was never questioned. "Sometimes it reminded me of the old pressure cookers," Dugas said. "There can be so much pressure on it when the heat’s turned up and you don’t notice it, until you come in the kitchen and see what’s on the stove. But the last couple of weeks, you’d swear everybody over there was on a honeymoon. All the attitudes were upbeat and positive and everybody was getting ready for the start of a great year." Robichaux looked ahead to the search for a replacement. "I think we need someone who understands the workings of the department, but who is not limited by it," Robichaux said. "He or she will need to have both, someone who is able to put his or her mind on tomorrow’s business. "It’s a greasy pole when you create an image. It’s tough to keep up. It sucks the energy out of you to try to keep it at that high level." Originally published July 27, 2005 Schexnayder Press Conference Transcript July 26, 2005 – Matt Hebert, Sports Information Highlights on Nelson Schexnayder’s comments referring to his decision to OPENING STATEMENTS First I would like to thank the people who gave me an opportunity to I would like to thank those people in the University who play a role in To our fans and supporters, thank you. We have some of the best fans and To the members of the athletic department, our secretaries, game To our coaches present and past, thank you for your efforts on behalf of Finally, and most important, thank you to the athletes. They are To all my family, thank you for your sacrifices, for your support and Question 1 – Nelson, the timing, is this something that you have been Question 2- When you look at your years here, can you come up with one When you look at the improvements in our facilities – that fans, Question 3- Would your successor continue in the NCAA Committee roles Question 4-Would your successor step into those roles? Question 5- Nelson this is obviously something very emotional for you. I believe there will be a lot of people who will want to be here and be Question 6- Do you have any kind of notion that you’d share about what Question 7- Do you have any recommendations? Question 8- Nelson you talked about fundraising, there are some athletic Question 9- Nelson, you have any idea of the timeline involved to find a There will probably be an acting, or interim, or temporary replacement Question 10- You have been operating on a budget of less than seven We have quality people that work extremely hard to see that the
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