Four Finalists for Athletic Director Position Announced

Fairmont State has named four finalists for the position of Athletic Director.

The search was prompted by the upcoming retirement of current Athletic Director, Dave Cooper. The finalists will visit campus during the week of Dec. 13 to meet with the administration, faculty, staff, students, alumni and interested community members.

Finalists include Greg Bamberger, Director of Athletics at Glenville State College; Ray Bonnett, Director of Athletic Compliance and Head Baseball Coach at Fairmont State; Scott Gines, Director of Athletics and Sports Management at Dakota Wesleyan University; and Dr. Robert McBee, a former Athletic Director at several institutions, most recently the State University of New York at Cortland.

Each candidate will spend a day on campus to meet with various constituent groups. There will be an open session for each candidate during which the candidate will meet with any interested faculty, staff, students, alumni or community members. The open sessions are scheduled from 2:15 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 219, Hardway Hall.

The schedule of candidates is as follows:
Monday, Dec. 13, 2004: Scott Gines.
Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2004: Ray Bonnett.
Thursday, Dec. 16, 2004: Greg Bamberger.
Friday, Dec. 17, 2004: Dr. Robert McBee.

Greg Bamberger has served as Glenville State's Director of Athletics since January 2002. Prior to that, he served one season as Glenville's Assistant Head Football Coach. From 1989 to 1996, he was Assistant Football Coach at Southeast Missouri State University and was an Assistant Football Coach at Virginia Military Institute from 1985 to 1989. He holds a Master of Education degree in Physical Education and Sports Administration from Temple University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management Sciences (Business Administration) from Duke University, where he was a three-year starter in football.

Ray Bonnett has served as Fairmont State's Director of Athletic Compliance since 1992. He has also served as Head Baseball Coach since 1998, and was Head Women's Golf Coach from 1994 to 1998. In addition to compliance, he manages events and has budgeting duties. He teaches in the FSU Department of Health and Human Performance and serves as an academic advisor to student athletes. He holds a Master of Science degree in Physical Education-Teacher Education from West Virginia University, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Fairmont State and an A.S. degree in Criminal Justice from Fairmont State. He also serves as Secretary of the Fairmont State Lettermen's Association.

Scott Gines has served as Director of Athletics at Dakota Wesleyan University since August 2000 and also as Director of Sports Management since July 2001. His NCAA Division I coaching experience includes Assistant Baseball Coach at the University of Virginia (1983 - 1987); Head Baseball Coach at Radford University (1987 - 1994); and Head Baseball Coach at Virginia Military Institute (1994 - 2000). He holds an M.Ed. in Sport Psychology from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Virginia Military Institute. He has completed all but his dissertation for his doctorate in Sport Psychology from the University of Virginia and is also working on a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Thomas.

Dr. Robert McBee served most recently as Director of Athletics at the State University of New York at Cortland. Prior to that he was Director of Athletics and Associate Professor of Sociology/Criminal Justice at Midwestern State University from 1997 - 2001; Director of Athletics at Eastern Illinois University from 1994 - 1996; Director of Athletics and Associate Professor of Sport Administration at Robert Morris College from 1989 - 1994; Chairman and Associate Professor of Sport Management at Robert Morris College from 1988 - 1990; Director of Operations - U.S. Olympic Festival 1987 - North Carolina Amateur Sports, Inc. from 1985 -  1988; Head Baseball Coach and Assistant Professor of Sociology at Elon College from 1977 - 1984; and Women's Basketball Coach and Assistant Baseball Coach at the University of Southern Mississippi from 1974 to 1977. He has also had experience in baseball minor league management and coaching. He holds a doctorate in Secondary Education and Sociology and a Master of Science degree in Secondary Education and Social Studies from the University of Southern Mississippi; a Master of Science degree in Education Administration from North Carolina A&T State University; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from Presbyterian College. He has also completed the Management Development Program at Harvard University.