FSU Names Athletic Director

Fairmont State University has named David "Scott" Gines as its next Athletic Director. Gines currently serves as Director of Athletics and Sports Management at Dakota Wesleyan University.

The search was prompted by the upcoming retirement of current Athletic Director, Dave Cooper. The appointment becomes effective in February 2005, with an exact date to be determined.

"Fairmont State was fortunate to attract a strong field of candidates for this position. Scott brings with him strong experience in athletic and academic administration, coaching experience, and a record of producing winning athletic programs," says FSU President Dan Bradley. "I am looking forward to working with him."

Gines is a 22-year veteran of higher education and collegiate athletics, serving the past five years as an administrator and professor at the NAIA level. Prior to his current post, he served for 17 years as an NCAA Division I baseball coach at three public universities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He spent the final 13 years of this period as the head coach at two institutions, successfully rebuilding each program, and departed at the top of both departments' all-time baseball win chart. Ninety-two percent of the athletes completing their playing eligibility under his charge received their Bachelors degrees.

In his present position, he began with 13 (i.e., DWU's entire sport offerings) losing intercollegiate programs. The past four years include: three consecutive top quartile finishes in the NACDA Director's Cup; over a 200 % increase in athletic scholarship resources; athletic department reorganization and expansion, et al. The 2004 academic year closed with six DWU teams finishing in the national top 40; nine teams with grade point averages of 3.00 or better; and, their fourth consecutive year as an NAIA Champions of Character department.

Gines is a 1983 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute (English, with distinction; DMS and DMG), and holds an M.Ed from the University of Virginia (sport psychology). He completed all the course work for an Ed.D (UVA, sport psychology) in 1987, departing to become the nation's youngest Division I coach at that time. He is presently completing an Ed.D (educational leadership) at the University of St. Thomas (MN).

Gines is one of two at large members to the NAIA Council of Athletic Administrators (CAA), and serves on the organization's legislative committee. He is the CAA representative to the membership in the area of gender equity. In addition, he is an assistant professor of sports management, and serves as the chair of this academic department. Some of his recent speaking engagements include presentations at the NAIA National Convention and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

In addition to Mr. Gines, finalists included Greg Bamberger, Director of Athletics at Glenville State College; Ray Bonnett, Director of Athletic Compliance and Head Baseball Coach at Fairmont State; and Dr. Robert McBee, a former Athletic Director at several institutions, most recently the State University of New York at Cortland.