Rice enters Pac-10 ring

SEATTLE – Condoleezza Rice as the next Pac-10 commissioner?

Two sources told the Seattle Times on Thursday that Rice, who served as U.S. secretary of state during the Bush Administration, has thrown her name into the pool of candidates to replace Tom Hansen, who will retire July 1.

Rice was provost of Stanford from 1993 to 1999, during which time she was active in athletic affairs, including overseeing the hiring of Tyrone Willingham as football coach.

She has long talked about her love of football and once said her dream job would be to become NFL commissioner.

Hansen has been conference commissioner since 1983. A final selection for his replacement is set to be made by the Pac-10’s presidents and chancellors sometime this spring or summer.