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News Nuggets, 06.24.06
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Del Conte takes reins as AD at Rice

Chris Del Conte, senior associate athletic director at the University of Arizona in Tucson, has been appointed Rice's new athletic director, according to an announcement on the Conference USA web site.

Del Conte succeeds Bobby May, who announced his retirement in April. May led Rice to status as one of the most-respected intercollegiate sports programs in the nation after becoming athletics director in 1989.

When Del Conte joined the University of Arizona's Department of Intercollegiate Athletics in December 1999, he oversaw all aspects of athletic fund development, including raising revenue to support completion of a $13-million athletics pavilion and over $6.5 million for student-athlete scholarships.

In 2002, Del Conte's responsibilities were expanded to include overseeing the ticket office, marketing, corporate sales, and trademarks and licensing. He implemented a capital campaign known as "Campaign Arizona for the Student-Athlete," which has raised more than $120 million.

In 2003, Del Conte was named one of three senior associate athletics directors, and his duties were further expanded to include overseeing media relations, business operations and external affairs and helping co-manage the day-to-day operation of the university's 19 sports programs. He became responsible for the supervision of all areas of external operations, which now generate $28 million in annual revenue.

Del Conte worked directly with all coaches, department heads and staff and participated in the hiring of coaches and other personnel. He also oversaw all contracts, including corporate sponsorships, broadcast rights, sporting events and Web-site agreements.

Contact at combine means fine for Emory

Richmond County High football coach Ed Emory has been placed on a year's probation by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association and his Shrine Bowl coaching staff has been fined $400.

The penalty was for allowing contact, a violation of NCHSAA rules, during a Shrine Bowl combine which brought potential Shrine Bowl players together for a workout in Chapel Hill.

Emory, this year's North Carolina Shrine Bowl head coach, is a former head coach at East Carolina.

The 2006 Shrine Bowl game is scheduled for Dec. 16 at Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC.

UNCW aligns with adidas for shoes, uniforms

The Wilmington Star-News has reported that UNC-Wilmington has a five-year agreement with adidas for shoes, uniforms and apparel.

The worldwide sportswear manufacturing entity will outfit each of the school's 19 athletic teams with practice gear and footwear through the 2010-11 season.

"This is a major step in the overall branding process for our athletic program," UNCW athletic director Mike Capaccio said.

Capaccio said the school would have access to the company's clothing line before the catalog hits retailers. UNCW coaches can also order accessories, such as travel gear, for their programs at a discount.

UNCW joins 25 other schools under the adidas umbrella, including Notre Dame, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Kansas, Louisville, Indiana, Pittsburgh and UCLA.

The UNCW-adidas announcement comes shortly after Seahawks' regional rival East Carolina reached terms on a similar affiliation with Nike.

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 other sources. Copyright 2006 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007 12:48 PM