Chadron State College Athletic Director Joel R Smith is retiring, effective immediately. Smith came to CSC in 2013 after a dozen years as commissioner of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
Chadron State President Ron Patterson says Associate Athletic Director Ted Tewahade will assume additional supervisory duties and that he intends to hire an interim AD while conducting a national search for Smith’s permanent successor.
Smith says Chadron State “has been a wonderful place to work and live,” adding that he and the school were able to accomplish “a fair amount” during his time there and that he’s proud of everything the student-athletes, coaches, and teams accomplished.
Smith succeeded Brad Smith, no relation, as Chadron State was dealing with the aftermath of NCAA sanctions and the departure of head football coach Bill O’Boyle.
During his tenure as athletic director, Joel Smith oversaw the 3 largest athletic department facility projects in half a century.
Those were highlighted by the construction of the Chicoine Center with the related renovation of the Armstrong Building and conversion of the old swimming pool into a state-of-the-art weight room.
The other 2 projects were replacement of the original concrete grandstands at Elliott Field/Don Beebe Stadium, and construction of an all-weather track with the Frank Ferguson Press Box.
Smith also began the annual scholarship banquet/auction When Eagles Dare, which built on traditions established during the CSC Don Beebe Golf Classic.
Smith was already very familiar with Chadron State before he arrived as athletic director. In addition to his 12 years as RMAC commissioner, he’d been Director of Athletics at Fort Lewis College and Assistant AD at Metro State, both RMAC schools.