Koegel out as CCU athletic director

Jun 16, 2009 — The Sun News

Josh Hoke

Jun. 16, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- The man that oversaw Coastal Carolina's growth into a baseball and football power will not be retained as the leader of the school's athletic department.

Coastal Carolina announced Monday that athletic director Warren Koegel will be replaced within the next year. Though his one-year contract expires on June 30, he will continue to serve in his current capacity until a replacement can be found.

Coastal does not expect to hire its next athletic director until next January.

Koegel will continue to play a role in the future of Coastal's athletic department. He has signed a three-plus year contract to work with Coastal's Office of University Advancement, where he will assist in athletic fundraising.

Koegel, who has headed the school's athletic department since 2000, said in a statement that he was "asked to move into the role of athletics fundraising" and "will accept and continue to work with the integrity and respect that I have always had for Coastal Carolina."

Koegel has been honored with the title of athletics director emeritus in honor of his work over the past nine years. He was hired by Coastal to oversee the addition of football, which began play in 2003, but baseball and other sports also flourished on the national stage under his watch.

However, the school's basketball program has had just one winning season since Koegel was hired. Coastal's athletic department has also struggled to raise the funds necessary to improve its athletic infrastructure, slowing the fruition of new facilities for baseball, basketball and football.

"The reality is that Warren's retirement in a few years, coupled with his desire to raise funds specifically for the athletic programs, has made us reconsider how he might best serve the university," Coastal President David Decenzo said in a statement.

Coastal put a renewed emphasis on athletic fundraising this spring, moving Senior Associate Athletic Director Mark Roach into a full-time role heading the Chanticleer Club, the athletic department's fundraising arm.

Neither Decenzo or Koegel were available for comment.

Koegel signed a one-year extension on April 25, 2008, and received a salary of $142,000 over the past year, according to his contract.

Newstex ID: 35786782