JIM STERK	Last Updated 9/28/10
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics   Second Year     Official Hiring Press Conference 2/15/10   GoAztecs.com Interview 2/16/10   Photo Gallery   Official Hiring Release 2/15/10

"I'm thrilled with this opportunity and looking forward to taking SDSU Athletics to the next level of success," said Sterk. "We want to build a program that the University, the community and all Aztecs fans can be proud of."

Sterk was hired just in time to see the Aztecs experience the best season on the playing field and in the classroom, in school history.

In fact, in Sterk's first 20 days on his new job, he watched the San Diego State men's and women's basketball teams claim the Mountain West Conference tournament championships, watched both programs advance to the NCAA Tournament, and was on site when the women's program upset Texas and West Virginia en route to advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history.

In 2009-10, San Diego State set school records in the Learfield Directors' Cup, which rewards overall athletic success, by having eight sports earn points. The Aztecs finished 65th out of all Division I schools nationally.

In addition, a school-record 246 individuals were honored as scholar student-athletes at the year-end banquet.

"Division I athletics is an important tradition at San Diego State and increasingly a big part of the SDSU student experience," said Sterk. "We are going to build on that tradition and reach out to students, staff, alumni and the entire community."

Sterk, 54, came to SDSU from Washington State University where he served as athletic director since 2000. Prior to his hiring at WSU, he served as AD at Portland State University from 1995 to 2000. He brings 24 years of experience in athletics administration performing a variety of roles. His appointment followed a national search.

Sterk also brings a solid reputation and the respect of his peers across the country with WSU having been recognized in 2006 as the Division IA Athletic Directors' "Program of Excellence."

Sterk oversaw a period of unparalleled succes at Washington State with historic accomplishments both on and off the field.

Over his last three years at WSU, 13 Cougar teams competed in NCAA postseason tournaments, including back-to-back trips to the NCAA tournament by the men's basketball team (2007 and 2008), while women's rowing earned five NCAA championship bids, including a fourth place finish in 2006, the highest finish ever by a WSU women's team in NCAA competition.

Academically, the graduation rate for those student-athletes who exhausted their eligibility at WSU was 92 percent over the past 10 years, ranking WSU second in the Pac-10 to Stanford.

WSU student-athletes maintained a 3.01 average cumulative GPA in 2008-09, and for 10 consecutive semesters, averaged at least a 3.00 cumulative GPA.

WSU Athletic Foundation membership doubled under Sterk, and annual gifts increased from just under $3 million in 2000 to more than $13 million in 2008.

Sterk, during his tenure at WSU, served as chair of the Pac-10 Athletic Directors committee and served on numerous other Pacific-10 Conference committees. Sterk was also a member of the prestigious NCAA Championship/Competition cabinet.

Sterk graduated from Western Washington University in 1980, where he earned four letters in football and one in basketball. He was credited with a school-record 164 tackles during the 1977 season, garnering first-team NAIA District I all-star accolades and was named team captain and MVP, helping the Vikings to the district championship game. On Feb. 6, 2010, Sterk was inducted into Western Washington's Athletics Hall of Fame for his success in football.

Sterk received his master's degree in sports administration from Ohio University. His professional career has included positions at North Carolina, Maine, Seattle Pacific, Tulane, and Portland State, the latter as director of athletics for five years before joining the Washington State staff.

Sterk and his wife Debra have three children: Ashley (21), Amy (18), and Abby (15).