ESU grad Tim Weiser resigns as KSU A.D., takes job with Big 12
The Associated Press
Friday, February 22, 2008
MANHATTAN — Kansas State athletic director Tim Weiser is leaving the school to become the deputy commissioner of the Big 12 Conference.
Weiser will effectively serve as second in command in the conference behind Dan Beebe, who replaced Kevin Weiberg when he left the conference to work for the Big 10 Network last year.
Weiser has plenty of ties to Emporia. He is a graduate of Emporia State after pitching on the baseball team in 1979-80.
In addition, his son, Rudy, is a catcher on ESU’s baseball team, while his cousin, Kent, is ESU’s athletic director.
Senior associate director of athletics Jim Epps will oversee day-to-day operations of the department with Tim Weiser gone.
“My time at Kansas State has been personally and professionally rewarding and certainly filled with many great moments and successes I will never forget,” Weiser said in a written statement. “I wasn’t looking for opportunities to leave, but after 20 years as an athletics director at four different institutions, the timing seemed right for a new challenge.”
Weiser, 50, became Kansas State’s athletic director in 2001 and expanded the school’s annual athletics operating budget from $27 million to nearly $40 million this year. He hired football coach Ron Prince to replace Kansas State legend Bill Snyder in 2005 and brought in Bob Huggins after basketball coach Jim Wooldridge was fired two years ago.
Weiser also promoted assistant Frank Martin after Huggins bolted for West Virginia after a year on the job.
“Tim has done a great job for us over the past seven years: He has upgraded our facilities, brought fiscal stability to the department, hired excellent head coaches and staff and in many ways has brought the entire athletic program to it highest level ever,” school president Jon Wefald said. “I want to publicly thank him for all his contributions and wish him the very best in his new endeavor.”
Before arriving in Manhattan, Weiser, a Kansas native, spent three years as Colorado State’s athletic director and held the same position at Eastern Michigan and Austin Peay.
As deputy commissioner for the Big 12, he will assist the commissioner as a staff liaison to the board of directors, oversee the day-to-day operation of the conference office and coordinate activities in the commissioner’s absence.
“I am delighted that Tim has agreed to join the Big 12 Conference office,” Beebe said. “I am fortunate to be able to add him to an already excellent staff, and I feel confident we will be in terrific position to serve our member institutions. The conference will benefit tremendously by having on staff a person with such exceptional campus experience.”