AD Oliver Luck leaving West Virginia for NCAA
West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck is leaving the Mountaineers and heading to the NCAA.
The news, first reported by the Charleston Daily Mail, was made official by the NCAA later Wednesday morning. Luck is the NCAA's new executive vice president of regulatory affairs and per the organization, it's a new position "that will bring the national office regulatory functions – academic and membership affairs, the Eligibility Center and enforcement – under one umbrella."
I am very pleased to have Oliver joining our team in the national office,” NCAA president Mark Emmert said in a statement. “He brings to us wide ranging, hands-on experience from across athletic, academic, and business worlds. Most important, his commitment to the success and well-being of our student-athletes is unquestionable. He has demonstrated that commitment on the ground and throughout his life. I'm anxious for him to get started with us."
Luck, the father of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, has been the athletic director at West Virginia since 2010. The NCAA is headquartered in Indianapolis.
He served on the College Football Playoff committee in 2014 and given there are no current NCAA administrators on the panel, Luck have to give up his spot in the group now that he's with the sanctioning body. Per the Playoff, his term was set to expire in February 2017.
“Oliver has brought a great perspective to the selection committee, and we will miss him," College Football Playoff director Bill Hancock said in a statement. "He was a valued member whose views were wise and always thoughtful. We wish him well and know that he will be successful in his new position. We’re glad he will remain in the college athletics family. We will name a replacement by this spring; there’s no rush now, of course. In terms of process, the Big 12 conference will nominate a replacement, and the management committee will review the nomination and make the final decision.”
With Luck in charge of the athletic department, West Virginia moved from the Big East to the Big 12 before the 2012 football season. In three years in the Big 12, the Mountaineers are 11-14 in Big 12 play. In his tenure, West Virginia also remodeled its compliance program after receiving a notice of allegations of NCAA violations. The allegations were against football staff members from 2005-2009.
When Texas was searching for an athletic director to succeed DeLoss Dodds, Luck was considered a leading candidate before the school picked former Arizona State AD Steve Patterson.
For more West Virginia news, visit WVSports.com.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
