SEMO announces director of athletics finalists, open forums

Southeast Missouri State is close to appointing a permanent athletic director.

On Thursday morning the school announced three finalists for the position: interim director of athletics Brady Barke, University of New Mexico-Albuquerque senior associate athletic director Kurt Esser and Archdiocese of Los Angeles, California executive director of development Dan Coonan.

The university will hold forums, which are open to the public, with each candidate next week.

Esser's will be at 2 p.m. May 24, Barke's at 2 p.m. May 25 and Coonan's at 2 p.m. May 26. Each will be held in the University Center Program Lounge on Southeast's campus.

"We welcome the public's input," said Bill Holland, chair of the Athletic Director Search Committee and vice president for University Advancement and executive director of the Southeast Missouri University Foundation, in a press release.

Fifty-two candidates applied for the position, which Barke has filled in the interim after former director of athletics Mark Alnutt accepted the deputy director of athletics position at the University of Memphis in July, and seven semifinalists participated in interviews via Skype on May 12, according to the press release.

The three finalists will meet with the search committee, Southeast President Carlos Vargas, the department of athletics staff, coaches, Southeast's executive staff and the Student Athletic Advisory Council while they are on campus.

The university plans to have the new director of athletics in place by July 1.

"On behalf of the search committee, I would like to thank all of the applicants," Holland said. "We had an outstanding pool to choose from. It has not been an easy process. The candidate pool was very competitive which demonstrates that Southeast Missouri State University and its athletics program are held in very high regard nationally."

Southeast director of athletics finalists' resumes:

Kurt Esser resume

Brady Barke resume

Dan Coonan resume