March 15, 2000

PULLMAN, Wash. -- - Washington State University Interim Athletic Director Marcia Saneholtz announced today the hiring of Brady Crook as associate athletic director for development and Rob Oviatt as head strength and conditioning coach.

"I believe we have hired two outstanding individuals who will fit very well into our Cougar family," Saneholtz commented. "Both individuals bring impressive credentials to our program and both were highly recommended by colleagues who are familiar with WSU. For Brady, it is a return home and a return to the program he started with after graduating from WSU. For Rob, it is a return to the Pacific-10 Conference."

Crook, a native of Pullman, graduated from WSU in 1991 after earning three varsity baseball letters. Following graduation with a degree in sports management and a minor in business administration, he worked in WSU's marketing department, then the athletic development area. In 1994, Crook was named a regional director for the Duck Athletic Fund at the University of Oregon.

He returned to WSU in 1995 as an assistant director of athletic development and was based at the WSU-Spokane office. His responsibilities included working with major gift donors and the department's annual fund drive. Since 1998 Crook has served as assistant athletic director for development at the University of Nevada, Reno.

"I am looking forward to the opportunity of playing a significant part in the future of Cougar athletics," Crook said from Reno. "It is very exciting for me, and my family, to be coming back to Pullman and rejoining the WSU staff."

Saneholtz said one of Crook's first priorities will be to complete the Building Future Champions campaign to finance the department's proposed indoor practice facility.

"This campaign is critical to the future success of so many of our programs," Saneholtz stressed."A substantial portion of the almost $14 million needed to close the design phase and receive approval to begin construction has been raised. However, we still need to bring closure to several proposals and develop additional commitments to this project in order to finance construction."

Oviatt, an Ohio native, spent 10 years at Oregon State University as head strength and conditioning coach for all Beaver sports programs.

He earned his bachelor's degree in physical education in 1980 from the University of Alabama and received his master's in exercise science from the University of Mississippi in 1983. Prior to joining the OSU staff in 1985, Oviatt worked at both Alabama and Mississippi, then served on the strength and conditioning staffs at Texas A&M and Houston.

Oviatt left OSU for the University of Kentucky in 1995 and twice, in three years, was named the Southeastern Conference's football strength and conditioning coach of the year. He has been the coordinator for strength and conditioning for all sports at Louisiana State University since 1999.

Saneholtz indicated Oviatt would join the Cougar staff this week and she expected Crook to be on the job within the next three weeks.