MURFREESBORO – It has only barely begun, yet it is already more successful than any in recent history.

Chowan College began a search for a new athletic director just weeks ago upon the resignation of Jim Tribbett. Tribbett continues at Chowan as men’s basketball coach, after deciding it was impossible to continue in the dual role.

Chowan President Dr. Chris White said he is already pleased with what he’s seen in regards to candidates to become athletic director. Thus far he has more than a dozen resumes, including nearly a half-dozen sitting ADs.

Before talking about the future, however, White was insistent that he was pleased with the past.

&uot;I appreciate the contributions Jim Tribbett made in this last year,&uot; White said. &uot;He did a fine job for us.

&uot;I also commend him for his wisdom in deciding what he’s decided,&uot; the president continued.

White said he knew the men’s basketball program had the opportunity to be the best it had in years and that Tribbett needed to work with that program solely if it was to be as good as it could be.

&uot;One fulltime job is enough,&uot; White said. &uot;Jim at heart is a basketball coach.&uot;

Turning to the future, White said the search was progressing well and that he would be working with a pair of Chowan College administrators as he sought the next athletic director. Those two men are Student Affairs Vice President Randy Harrell and Personnel Manager John Hinton.

&uot;We will advertise in the appropriate places, but I don’t think it will really be necessary because of the coaching grapevine,&uot; White said.

As for having current athletic directors applying for the job, White said it was a compliment to Chowan College.

&uot;I think that is an excellent comment on this school,&uot; he said. &uot;We’ve been way down and we’re coming back. I think it’s amazing to have sitting athletic directors who want to be a part of this school.&uot;

In fact, White said he wasn’t at all concerned about having qualified people wanting the job. His biggest concern will be to determine which one of the candidates best fits Chowan College and will make a lasting impact at the school.

The lasting impact is key for White as he said one of his main problems with Chowan athletics has been the constant change in leadership.

&uot;One of the things that bothers me about Chowan athletics is the multiple changes in leadership over the past 10 years,&uot; he said. &uot;I have an intense desire to stop that merry-go-round.

&uot;I want someone who can work with the goals we’ve set as a college and wants to be part of this community,&uot; he added. &uot;This is a really good time for someone to come in and be a part of this program, but it is a critical time for the school.&uot;

White said he wanted stability and longevity in the role of athletic director and that he was not interested in someone coming to Chowan as a stepping-stone.

&uot;We’re not going to be as good as we can be athletically until we get stability in that role,&uot; he said.

White said he wanted someone with experience as an athletic director and preferably someone familiar with the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division II since the Braves are in the middle of making the change to that status.

&uot;I think the most important thing is to get the right person,&uot; he said. &uot;Anyone who doesn’t have experience doing this sort of thing it would be an uphill battle.&uot;

Also key in being the right person for the job will be someone who wants to be a part of Murfreesboro, Hertford County and the Roanoke-Chowan area.

&uot;I want someone who views this as more than a job, but a calling and a mission,&uot; White said. &uot;Chowan is a very special school, a special place and we don’t need to apologize for who we are. We want someone that wants to be a part of that and who accepts us for what we are.&uot;

White said his goal was to have the new athletic director onboard by January 1, 2006.

&uot;I would like to have someone here by the first of the year, which is fairly soon,&uot; he said, &uot;but I’m not going to do that just to meet a date.&uot;