NCAA VP Robert Vowels could be next UDM athletic director

Robert Vowels (bio)
B.A., Duke; J.D., NCCU
 

DETROIT, Michigan  --  Detroit Mercy has scheduled a news conference for Tuesday to name its next athletic director to replace Keri Gaither. One of the strongest candidates appears to be Robert Vowels.

The university announced in early March that four candidates would be brought in for interviews in April and May. Vowels, Michael Hermann, Jay DeFruscio and interim AD Jason Horn were the four candidates.

Vowels was recommended for the job by UDM’s search committee but it was unclear whether a deal was finished, said one person familiar with the situation. UDM president Antoine M. Garibaldi hires the AD, and he was not available for comment. A second person familiar with the athletic department told the Free Press that Vowels was in line to get the job.

Vowels works in the NCAA’s national office as vice president for student-athlete affairs. He was hired in 2007. He was previously the commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Vowels joined the SWAC in 2003. He also was commissioner of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2000-02.

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