Rutgers to hire woman as new athletic director: Report

As Rutgers takes a giant step into its future by joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014, the university just might be taking an even bigger leap right now by hiring a woman the run the athletic department for the first time in the New Jersey school's history.

Julie Hermann, most recently the No. 2 athletic administrator at Louisville, has been named the school’s new athletic director -- making her one of just three women at a BCS program to currently hold the athletic department’s top position (N.C. State’s Debbie Yow and California’s Sandy Barbour are the others), according to two people familiar with the process. Both people requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on behalf of the school. Hermann, 49, has most recently served as the Cardinals’ senior associate athletic director and senior woman administrator, reports NJ.com.

Hermann was chosen for the position at Rutgers over Wisconsin deputy athletic director Sean Frazier following an emergency voting session this morning by the school’s 11-member Board of Governors. That session was necessitated after Rutgers’ six-member Executive Athletic Committee deadlocked at 3-3 in trying to choose between Hermann and Frazier as Tim Pernetti’s successor.

Pernetti resigned on April 5 in the wake of the Mike Rice scandal.

Though she lacks direct football experience, Hermann oversaw 20 of Louisville’s 23 sports. The school is coming off a victory in a BCS bowl game (Sugar Bowl), a national championship in men’s basketball and a Final Four appearance in women's basketball.

She has worked in the Louisville athletic department since 1998. An introductory press conference is expected to take place later today.

ESPN releases disturbing footage of Rutgers coach Mike Rice abusing players

Rutgers men's head basketball coach Mike Rice was suspended for 16 days and ordered to undergo anger management classes and sensitivity training for exhibiting extreme behavior discovered during an internal athletics investigation at the university last December.  Now ESPN has released video footage which led to the school disciplining the hotheaded coach.

On ESPN's "Outside the Lines" Tuesday, Jeremy Schaap showed clips of Rice berating his players with  slurs, throwing balls at players' heads and even kicking them.

While interviewing Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti, Schaap said ESPN had "hours and hours of footage" showing Rice "abusing his players in practice ... assaulting them."

Eric Murdock, an ex-NBA player and a former director of player development for the Scarlet Knights reportedly witnessed the abuse firsthand and brought the video clips to Pernetti in November.

"The one thing I hated," Murdock said of Rice, "he would always talk about 'Lithuanian this, Lithuanian that,' talk about where he's from -- 'soft-ass Lithuanian b--ch," soft-ass Lithuanian pu--y.' His nickname was basically 'Lithuanian fa--ot.' "

On a 30-minute video Murdock said he showed Pernetti and other Rutgers officials in December, Rice is seen hurling a ball from point-blank range just passed a player's head, shoving him and repeatedly swearing at him. At another point, Rice hurls a ball that strikes the player's knee. He appears momentarily hurt and has to sit out a play.

In December, NJ.com reported:

Multiple individuals have confirmed to The Star-Ledger that it was because Rice threw basketballs at players heads during a practice in his first or second season as Scarlet Knights coach.  Rice also used abusive language towards players that went beyond the allowable limit for a head coach at the university.

Pernetti, who stood by Rice during the suspension and had an independent monitor watch over his coach when his punishment was through told Schaap that Rice has since cleaned up his act.

Pernetti said on Tuesday afternoon that his investigation of Rice began in the summer and culminated with his December punishment. Pernetti said Rice's actions were not aligned with what the university believes is acceptable, but that the behavior was a "first offense" and was handled appropriately.

Murdock claims he was fired by Rice and Pernetti in July and is pursuing legal action for wrongful termination.

"His contract was not renewed," Pernetti simply told Schaap.

Rutgers' Mike Rice to undergo anger management, sensitivity training along with suspension

Rutgers head basketball coach Mike Rice will have to undergo anger management classes and sensitivity training for exhibiting extreme behavior  discovered during an internal athletics investigation.

Rice was already suspended 16 days on Thursday for violating athletic department policy and now an anonymous person — with knowledge of the additional punishments handed down by the school — has confirmed the initial report of disciplinary action, reports The Star-Ledger.

The source asked to remain anonymous in order to speak more freely about internal matters.

The Star Ledger reported:

Multiple individuals have confirmed to The Star-Ledger that it was because Rice threw basketballs at players heads during a practice in his first or second season as Scarlet Knights coach.  Rice also used abusive language towards players that went beyond the allowable limit for a head coach at the university.

The incidents were recorded and shown to the 43-year-old head coach upon receiving his punishment of a suspension without pay and a $50,000 fine.  The fiery coach, who was hired in 2010 to clean up the mess former head coach Fred Hill left behind, will also have an independent monitor to watch his practices after he returns on Dec. 29.

Despite Rice's past history of tossing his jacket early in games and blistering referees ears with his protests, Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti still stands behind Rice.

"I am committed to Mike," he said at a press conference announcing the punishment on Thursday.  "While this is a difficult situation and while this is certainly a negative, there are a lot of positives for the program."

Pernetti admitted this punishment for this incident was part of a broader concern.

"It's a pattern, I think I would say," admitted Pernetti.

For example, last season during a game against Louisville, it only took rice two minutes for Rice to get ejected from the game after making a choking gesture towards one of the refs.  Pernetti said his investigation was prompted by this incident.

Associate head coach David Cox will serve as Rice's replacement for the next three games.