The Search Committee
- Charlene Alexander, faculty athletics representative,
- Hudson Akin, vice president for advancement
- Kay Bales, vice president for student affairs
- Audrey Bickel, Ball State athlete and graduate student in sports administration
- Sali Falling, vice president and university general counsel
- Carey Fisher, Cardinal Varsity Club and community member
- Brian Hardin, deputy athletic director
- Dave Heeter, Cardinal Varsity Club and community representative
- Julie Hopwood, senior adviser to the president
- Brady Sallee, head women’s basketball coach
- Mike Smith, a member of the Ball State Foundation board of directors, Cardinal Varsity Club and a community representative
- Tony Smith, a member of the Ball State Foundation board of directors, Cardinal Varsity Club and a community representative
Before Ball State announced Mark Sandy as its choice for the university's next athletic director, a 12-person search committee was chosen in October to work with President Paul Ferguson, who would make the final decision.
The search committee worked its way a pool of 60 applicants. Interviews were limited to the final 10 candidates by phone, then about half of those 10 received a face-to-face interview.
"I thought it went great," deputy athletics director and interim athletic director Brian Hardin said. "I think that Dr. [Charlene] Alexander did an incredible job leading the committee. I think Dr. Ferguson did a masterful job early in the process of outlining what he was looking for, the traits that he wanted in an athletic director."
Ferguson began his speech at the press conference by saying he was grateful for the search committee, outlining the criteria that the committee abided by when reviewing the list of possible candidates. At the top of the list was the running of an ethical athletic department, and maintaining a "clean program."
He also cited a commitment to the student-athlete experience, a desire for a steady hand in management, someone deeply committed to vibrant fan experience and able to build morale through commitment, in order by priority.
"We have brought to Ball State University an experienced leader, an experienced student-athlete advocate and someone who I think has impressed all of us in this process as someone who deeply respects Ball State University," Ferguson said.
One advantage of the search that helped Ball State hire a desired athletic director was the confidential nature of the search. A private hiring process strengthened the candidate pool by keeping the applicants' names within a group including Ferguson, the search committee and others closely involved.
Following former Ball State athletic director Bill Scholl's departure, Scholl said he had some input in the search despite not being a part of the committee.
Sandy also added at the introductory news conference that he has a friend in the executive search business in athletics, and he did not find out about the hire until the night before. The collection of ability through confidentiality was something Ferguson desired when Scholl informed him he was leaving.
"[The search committee] did this in a confidential manner so we could maximize the recruitment of the best fit and talent for Ball State University, which I am so confident that we did with Mark Sandy today," Ferguson said.
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