Waiting begins for EWU, Barnes

Eastern Washington University athletic director Scott Barnes returned from interviewing for the same position at Fresno State with a good feeling.

However, he had no feel for when he might hear from his alma mater with good – or bad – news.

“I’m not sure where they are in the process,” said Barnes, who interviewed on campus Tuesday. “We have a plan to execute (at Eastern). We’ll stay focused on the jobs at hand. There is more than enough to do at Eastern. We’ll stay busy and focused.”

Barnes, the EWU athletic director since 1999, was a Bulldogs basketball player from 1984-86. Four years ago he was a finalist for the same position, one he recently called his dream job since both he and his wife Jody were athletes there.

A second candidate, who has not been identified, is scheduled to interview on campus today. However, Brigham Young associate athletic director Brian Santiago, another former Bulldogs basketball player, removed his name from consideration on Monday. The other name connected to the job is Michigan State senior associate athletic director Chris Ritrievi.

Search committee chair Jeri Echeverria, the university’s provost and vice president of academic affairs, would not comment on Barnes’ visit. Fresno State is replacing Scott Johnson, who retired in February after three years of being in charge of the $22 million, 17-sport department that has been plagued in recent years by NCAA violations and sanctions, lawsuits and off-court turmoil.

Both head basketball coaches were hired after the recent season.

Eastern has 14 sports and athletics have operated in the black during all six years Barnes has been in charge. He has also significantly increased fund raising, shepherding a number of improvements to facilities, including renovation of Woodward Field and locker rooms. The sports programs have also enjoyed success, highlighted by the men’s basketball team making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2004 and the football team advancing to the second round of the I-AA playoffs last fall.

The on-going fund drive is expected to raise more than $300,000 this year, according to out-going president Stephen Jordan, who said the school raised $35,000 the year before Barnes arrived.

In recent years, Barnes has been a finalist for jobs at Northern Illinois, Colorado State and Wyoming. He previously was athletic director at Humboldt State and associate athletic director at Iowa State.