Cegles, UC Irvine Still Talking, but No Job Offer Yet

Vic Cegles, the remaining finalist for the UC Irvine athletic director’s job, made a third visit to the campus Monday, but indicated he has not yet been offered the job.

Cegles, an assistant athletic director at Arizona State, met with several Irvine officials Monday but said the sides are “still talking” and that he was returning to Tempe Monday afternoon. He was accompanied by his wife, Bonnie, who had not been able to join him on his previous interview trips.

Cegles was among an original group of five candidates who were interviewed, and one of three who returned for a second round of interviews. Brad Rothermel, the former Nevada Las Vegas athletic director, withdrew as a finalist after Horace Mitchell, vice chancellor for student affairs, told him during negotiations that Irvine would not meet Rothermel’s demand for an increase of at least $1 million to the athletic department budget. Fairleigh Dickinson Athletic Director Roy Danforth also withdrew, but had not been negotiating with the school.

Mitchell’s approach apparently has been to negotiate the details of any agreement with a candidate before offering the job. He and Cegles have had several lengthy conversations, and departmental funding has been among the topics.

With Irvine’s list of finalists down to one, Mitchell said Sunday that the search had not been re-opened. However, the nine-member search committee that forwarded the three finalists’ names to Mitchell is scheduled to meet today, women’s basketball Coach Colleen Matsuhara said. It was unclear whether the meeting is related to approving Cegles or considering other candidates.