Bill Belknap, the director of athletics at Wichita State for the past six years, has announced his plans to retire effective June 30, 1999.
"It's a reasonably good time for me to retire, and I think it's an appropriate time for the university," Belknap says.
"One of the things I took into consideration," he adds, "was the change in administration because I was unable to make a long-term commitment to the new President Don Beggs. I didn't think that it was particularly fair to stay based on that, and after I thought about it, the fairest thing was to tell him, seek his counsel, and to give him the opportuity to select his own person."
Belknap, who is the Shockers' 15th athletic director, had begun to think seiously about retirement last summer. But only after conversations with former WSU President Gene Hughes and President Beggs did he and his wife, Donna, make the final decision.
"I'd like to express thanks to the university and the community, which have been wonderful," he says. "I have really enjoyed my assoication with both."
Under his watch, WSU athletics last season finished second in the race for the Missouri Valley Conference All-Sports Award, due in part to strides in the areas of facilities imporvement and Title IX compliance.
Included in the area of facilities improvements, both past and futue, are the renovation of Cessna Stadium, the construction of the C. Howard Wilkins Sr. Softball Complex and the current Future Shox campaign for a reconstructed Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field.
Belknap, who came to WSU with a proven record of hiring successful coaches, has continued that trend at Wichita State, including Randy Smithson, who coached the men's basketball team in his first two years from 10th to third in the MVC, and Grier Jones and Chris Adams, who coached their respective men's and women's golf teams to MVC runner-up finishes last season.
Belknap came to WSU from the Southland Conference office, where he had served as commissioner for two and a half years.
His previous experience includes 10 years as director of athletics at the University of Idaho in Moscow, and 13 years in various capacities at the Unviersity of Arizona, Tucson.
Additionally, he served three years in various positions within the University of Idaho's development office.
Belknap and his wife, an elementary school teacher, have two children, a daughter, Kim, and a son, Bill Jr., as well as two grandchildren.
