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News Nuggets, 02.05.06
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Bass may be in line for new ECU post

Jimmy Bass, after only six months on the job as Mississippi State's senior associate director for development and marketing, told the Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, MS, that he has resigned, the paper reported Saturday.

"It's for personal, family reasons," said Bass, who arrived in Starkville last August to much fanfare from N. C. State to a newly created position.

"(My family and I) thought it would be in our best interests to do something else professionally," Bass said. "It's obviously unsettling, because we have grown to love the university."

A native of Dunn, NC, Bass oversaw all athletic fund-raising and marketing at MSU. Among his goals was to recruit a higher percentage of alumni into the Bulldog Club, a booster organization that raises funds to support MSU athletics. He said his family is moving back to North Carolina.

One job offer Bass said he is considering is the newly created post at East Carolina University of senior associate athletic director for external affairs, a similar job to the one he had at Mississippi State.

The ECU position is expected to be created in connection with a new multimedia partnership between the school and ISP Sports announced last month by athletic director Terry Holland. The job description would involve oversight of the development of the multimedia arrangement — which is scheduled to go into effect July 1 — and coordination of activities involving ISP Sports with areas such as fund-raising, ticketing, media relations and promotions.

Bass is no stranger to Greenville, having previously served as associate AD for marketing at ECU from 1989-93 during the tenure of Dave Hart as AD of the Pirate program.

SMU AD Copeland calling it quits

Southern Methodist athletic director Jim Copeland has announced that he will retire effective May 31.

Copeland, who turns 61 in March, was named SMU's 11th athletic director on Dec. 9, 1994, after eight years in the AD position at his alma mater, Virginia.

He has just started his 12th year with the Mustangs, a tenure in which the Mustangs gained inclusion in Conference USA. Only Matty Bell (1947-64) served longer as SMU's athletic director.

"My wife Susan and I have always wanted to return to Charlottesville (VA) when I retired so we can be with our family," Copeland said.

Two of Copeland's children and all four grandchildren live in Virginia.

Bunting experiences technical difficulties

UNC-Chapel Hill football coach John Bunting has had a continuing problem with mistaken identity, a problem that has affected his mobility on the recruiting trail.

Some where, some place, according to Lee Pace of tarheelblue.com, there is a John Bunting who has run afoul of the Transportation Safety Administration.

On occasions when Coach Bunting has attempted to get his boarding pass at an automated flight check-in station, he has been rejected. A prompt informs him that he has to see a counter attendant.

"I've filled out forms, I've written letters, I've sent in my birth certificate, we've called a Congressman," Bunting said. "I think we've finally got it straightened out. I sure hope so."

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News Nuggets are compiled periodically based on material supplied by staff members; data published by ECU, Conference USA and its member schools; and reports from Associated Press and other sources. Copyright 2005 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007 12:45 PM