Future is Now for OVU

As the architect behind OVU’s move from junior college to member of the WVIAC, Ron Pavan’s name has long been circulated among university sports directors circles.

For those who assume the departure to be abrupt, consider the fact that in February Pavan’s name was bandied about in Laredo, as it was announced that he was one of the final four candidates for the athletics director opening at Texas A&M International. The same school who plucked baseball coach Chad Porter, TAMIU engaged in serious talks with Pavan and considered him one of the final two candidates for the position. Already possessing experience in helping schools move out of the NAIA ranks and into Division II, Pavan appeared a shoe in, as TAMIU went as far as as asking Pavan to participate in a town-hall question and answer hour at the school’s trade center. Despite losing out on the job to Dr. Debbie Snell, even back in February it appeared as if the writing on the wall signaling Pavan’s exit.

Fast forward to August, and the circumstances in Cumberland aren’t much different.
Holding an NAIA classification and also being a member of the Mid-South Conference (the same as WV Tech), Cumberland University is in a similar situation to that of TAMIU. Desiring to compete at the Division II level by the end of the 2010 school year, Pavan was likely tabbed to do the same things he did at OVU.

So what does this mean for OVU and the current state of its athletics programs?

Just as Pavan’s exit seemed inevitable, it now seems inevitable that OVU will bring in an athletic director with experience at building small programs into large ones. As a member of the WVIAC, OVU has had brief brushes with greatness (WVIAC baseball champs in 2006, regional qualifiers in golf) but the success has been few and far between. Easily being the smallest member of the conference in terms of enrollment, and also being one of the three evangelical association schools, OVU faces problems most member schools do not. Roadblocks in recruiting, facilities management and upgrades, school code, and religious observances are all contributors to OVU’s current status as WVIAC also-ran.

Resolving issues such as these and creating a more accommodating environments for athletes are just two of the many hurdles the new athletics director must navigate. Bringing even more viability to the university’s burgeoning programs is something trustees and administration will likely consider when examining a pool of candidates in the coming weeks, and coincidentally is something we in the valley hope will happen in the coming years.

When OVU wins, local athletes win. If OVU can build on what Pavan started at OVU, and can manage to gain a measure of respectability within the WVIAC, local athletes will see that same respectability and may actually pour back into the university. Just as the newest hire Mike Snell reiterated in his first press conference, “We want to be Parkersburg’s team”, we in the valley want OVU to be our team.

If you build it OVU, we will come.