Missouri State University Announces Three Finalists for Athletic Director Opening

Missouri State University is narrowing down its choices for who will be the next Director of Athletics for the Bears.

On Friday, university officials announced the three finalists for the position, and a timetable for a possible hiring.

Roger Denny, Patrick Ransdell, and Vince Volpe have been selected as the finalists, picked from a pool of 54 applicants.

Denny is currently the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director at the University of Illinois. He is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State, Saint Louis University, and Washington University in St. Louis.

Ransdell is the Deputy Athletics Director at Appalachian State University, and has a wealth of experience that includes time at Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Miami University, Central Florida, and others.

Volpe is the Associate Athletics Director at Arizona State University, and is a graduate of Indiana University, where he played baseball. He also has career experience at Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Oral Roberts, Connecticut, and others.

Each of the three candidates will have interviews over the next two weeks with several different groups, including coaches, student-athletes, athletics staff, and ultimately President Williams.

A final decision is said to be scheduled for early in the fall semester, if the committee feels comfortable with a choice among the finalists.