From watching football games at old Archbold Stadium to being on campus when the Carrier Dome opened, John Wildhacks affection for Syracuse University has only grown over the years.Thirty-six years after he graduated, Wildhack returned to his alma mater on Tuesday as its new athletic director and needed only four words to describe his state of mind.It feels so right, Wildhack said at an introductory news conference.Sporting an orange-and-blue-striped tie, Wildhack was introduced to a nearly full auditorium in the universitys football wing by Chancellor Kent Syverud, who chaired a search committee that included new football coach Dino Babers. A Buffalo native, Wildhack ends a 36-year tenure at ESPN, where he had risen to executive vice president for programming and production. He joined the cable sports network after graduating from Syracuse in 1980.Wildhack assumes a position vacated in early May by Mark Coyle, who came to Syracuse from Boise State but left after less than a year. Coyle bolted for the same position at the University of Minnesota.Syracuse likely wont have to worry about stability now. Wildhacks sister and brother also are Syracuse graduates, and his sister-in-law is a doctoral candidate at Syracuse. All were present Tuesday, along with Wildhacks wife, Amy, and their two young sons, Tommy and James. The couples oldest son, M.J., was back home working and unable to attend.Wildhack said his first priority would be to get to know his staff, both professionally and personally. And he had kind words for Babers, who was hired in December to replace Scott Shafer.I like the fact hes got a defined system thats had success, Wildhack said. I like Dinos style. He wants to be as fast as any team in the country. Weve got a great venue for that. Were the only domed stadium in a Power 5 conference. Theres a lot to like.Shafer was fired by Coyle last November after going 14-23 overall and 7-18 in the Atlantic Coast Conference in three seasons that saw attendance decline for home games in the Carrier Dome.Its important for us to market all the positives that we have, Wildhack said. We want to build a program that is going to have sustained success, so its got to be built the right way.Despite footballs troubles, Wildhack takes over athletics at a good time. The 2015-16 academic year was the most successful in the history of Syracuse athletics. The year included national titles in field hockey and cross country, a national runner-up finish in womens basketball, and trips to the Final Four in mens basketball, mens lacrosse and mens soccer.Theres a lot in place here. That is exciting, Wildhack said. Theres been terrific success overall. How do we, as a staff, build that?Plans for a significant renovation of the Carrier Dome also are underway, and Wildhack is optimistic of the impact that will have.Its an iconic venue in all of America. Theres great equity in that, he said. Well go through the renovation. Itll be transformational.In March 2015, the NCAA levied sanctions on the athletic department after an eight-year investigation, citing in particular academic violations committed by football (under former coaches Paul Pasqualoni and Greg Robinson) and mens basketball (under Jim Boeheim).The university has since reorganized reporting lines for some areas within athletics to improve oversight, and Wildhack said that would remain paramount on his watch.Our department will be defined by integrity, he said. We want our program to be a point of pride for the entire university. Christian Okoye Womens Jersey . 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Larry Johnson Jersey .Y. - Nelson Mandela will be honoured by the New York Yankees with a plaque in Monument Park. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessees Board of Trustees has approved a proposal for a $106 million renovation to Neyland Stadium that the school is aiming to have completed by August 2019.The board voted in favor of the renovation Friday afternoon after its finance and administration committee approved it earlier in the day. The proposal next goes before the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and eventually will require legislative approval.Chris Cimino, Tennessees senior vice chancellor of finance and administration, has said the project would be financed by donations and the athletic departments operating revenues. Tennessee chancellor Jimmy Cheek said Friday it would require no taxpayer dollars.The project includes renovating the south ground and concourse levels and relocating the visitors locker room.One of the recommendations involves shifting a back wall to create more space between the playing surface and any physical boundaries as a safety measure.dddddddddddd Other potential renovations include expanding the main thoroughfare of the south concourse, improving concessions and adding rest rooms.The project also would replace original and deteriorating concrete infrastructure dating back to 1921 in the west side of the lower bowl as well as adding and extending aisle handrails in the upper bowl.Neyland Stadium opened in 1921 and currently seats 102,455, giving it the fifth-largest capacity of any Football Bowl Subdivision programs home stadium.---AP college website: collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '
