Reports: 2 finalists vying for AD job

A final list of two candidates for IU's athletics director position has been presented to IU President Myles Brand, a University official told The Associated Press last week.\nESPN reported Monday that the finalists are Colorado State athletics director Tim Weiser and San Diego Chargers Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Michael McNeely.\nUniversity officials, search committee members and the University spokeswoman would not or could not confirm the ESPN report late Monday night and early Tuesday morning.\nA Colorado State University spokeswoman confirmed to the IDS late Monday night that Weiser is one of the names on the list to replace Clarence Doninger, who is retiring June 30.\nWeiser, now Colorado State's athletics director, would not comment on his status.\n"I will continue to comment only on the job I currently have at Colorado State," Weiser said.\nWeiser has been at Colorado State for four years, where he has turned the football program into one of the nation's top 25 teams. Weiser has boosted minority graduation rates to above 70 percent while at Colorado State.\nBefore he was at Colorado State, Weiser held athletics positions at Eastern Michigan and Austin Peay.\nMcNeely, who has been with San Diego since June of 1999, was formerly the athletics director at Pepperdine University. McNeely, 47, started his career as an assistant football coach with the University of Colorado. \nAlthough a Chargers spokesman could not confirm that McNeely is a finalist for the IU job, he would not rule out the possibility.\n"We've heard the rumors going around the office all day," said Bill Johnston, the Chargers spokesman. "I can't confirm or deny, and Mike won't comment."\nTerry Clapacs, vice president for administration and chairman of the search committee, told The Associated Press that the 18-member panel was unanimous in its recommendation of two finalists, although he did not specify who they were. Clapacs could not be reached for comment Monday night.\nClapacs said Brand could have a decision by the end of the week,\n"I would expect that the president will move very quickly and that we should have an athletics director announced within a week, 10 days at the most," Clapacs told The Associated Press.\nAccording to ESPN, the list contained a third name, Louisville athletics director Tom Jurich, who withdrew his name from consideration last week. Clapacs said Brand will interview the two candidates this week.