| JIM STERK |
Last Updated 9/28/10 |
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Jim Sterk was announced as San Diego State University's new
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics on February 10, 2010, by SDSU
President Stephen L. Weber.
"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). |
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| THE STERK FILE |
| Born |
June 10, 1956,
Bellingham, Washington |
| Hometown |
Nooksack, Washington |
| High School |
Nooksack Valley High, 1974 - Earned varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball and track. |
| Alma Mater |
'80 - B.A.- Phys. and Business Edu. (West. Wash. Univ.) '86 - MS - Sports Admin (Ohio Univ.) |
| Family |
Wife, Debra (Debi) J. Sterk Daughter, Ashley (3-12-89) Daughter, Amy (10-14-91) Daughter, Abby (5-12-95) |
| PROFESSIONAL CAREER |
| 2010 - present |
San Diego State |
Athletic Director |
| 2000 - 2010 |
Washington State |
Athletic Director |
| 1995 - 2000 |
Portland State |
Athletic Director |
| 1991 - 1995 |
Tulane University |
Senior Assoc. AD |
| 1990 - 1991 |
Seattle Pacific |
Assoc. Athletic Director |
| 1987 - 1990 |
Univ. of Maine |
'89-90 - Assist. AD (Finance)
'88-89 - Director of Athletic Serv. '87-88 - Assist. Business
and Ticket Manager |
| 1986 |
Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill |
Assist. to the Dir. of Ticket Ops |
| CAREER HIGHLIGHTS/HONORS/ORGANIZATIONS |
| Inducted into the Western Washington
University Athletics Hall of Fame Feb. 6, 2010 for his success as linebacker in
their football program |
| Oversaw a significant increase of the
department's operating budget from just under $20 million in 2000 to over $30
million in 2008. |
| WSU Athletic Foundation membership total
has doubled since 2000 and annual gifts have increased from just under $3
million in 2000 to more than $13 million in 2008.
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| Pac-10 Rev. Sharing and Football Officiating
Subcommittees |
| In 2006-07 WSU athletics department was
recognized with three national honors for their excellence in academics. |
| In 2006-07 Washington State Athletics had 8
sports score points in the USSA Director's Cup, finishing 70th nationally. |
| Pac-10 Special and Ad Hoc Committees:
AD Liaisons to Coaches Group, Bowl Committee, Rose Bowl Management. |
| Pac-10 Men's Basketball Subcommittees Chair |
| Pac-10 Conference Executive |
| Portland State hosted the 2000 NCAA Women's
Basketball West Regional |
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Restarted the Portland State men's basketball program after a 15-year
hiatus. |
| Chair, Big Sky Conference Joint Athletic
Council (1999-2000) |
|
Portland Oregon Sports Authority (1999-2000) |
| Completed master plan in March 2000 for a
$20 million renovation of PSU's athletic and student recreation facility. |
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In 1999 assisted in a $37 million development of Portland's Civic Stadium,
home of Viking football |
| Increased annual cash donations to PSU athletics
from $120,000 in 1994 to $1.2 million in 1999 |
| NCAA I-AA Football Regional Advisory
Committee (1999) |
| Big Sky Conference TV Committee (1998-2000) |
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Initiated the Portland State Athletics Hall of Fame |
| Big Sky Legislative Committee (1996-98) |
| Between 1992 and 1995, directed Green Wave
Club campaign at PSU that generated more than 3,200 new donors (220% increase) and an
additional $8.6 million (400% increase) in gifts and pledges. |
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