Jim Schaus
{{short description|American sports administrator}}
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| admin_years1 = 1999–2008
| admin_team1 = Wichita State
| admin_years2 = 2008–2019
| admin_team2 = Ohio
| admin_years3 = 2019–2023
| admin_team3 = Southern Conference (Commissioner)
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James Schaus is a retired sports administrator who most recently served as commissioner of the Southern Conference (SoCon). Before taking the SoCon position, he served as athletic director at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio and Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas.{{Cite web|url=https://soconsports.com/staff.aspx?staff=1/|title=JIM SCHAUS|website=Southern Conference}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Early years
Jim Schaus is originally from Morgantown, West Virginia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeswv.com/sports/jim-schaus-following-in-father-s-footsteps/article_3d8fd609-f2d1-5278-89e3-a431805506bb.html|title=Jim Schaus following in father's footsteps|website=Times West Virginian|date=23 April 2008 }} In his later youth, after sixth grade, he grew up in West Lafayette, Indiana where he received his Bachelor's degree from Purdue University in 1983.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jconline.com/story/sports/college/purdue/football/2017/09/12/purdue-west-lafayette-remain-special-jim-schaus/655946001/|title=Purdue, West Lafayette remain special to Jim Schaus|website=Journal & Courier}} He earned a Master's degree in athletics administration from West Virginia University where he was named a distinguished alumnus.{{Cite web|url=https://lead1association.com/people/jim-schaus/|title=Jim Schaus|website=Lead 1 Association}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2015-02-12/jim-schaus-kevin-white-named-division-i-mens-basketball|title=Schaus, White named to DI men's basketball committee|website=NCAA}}
Career
Prior to his long career in administrating college athletics Schaus worked in the NFL where he was first an intern with the New England Patriots and later as the director of marketing for the Washington Redskins. He also worked for the LPGA Tour as publicity assistant. Before receiving an athletic director position he worked in the athletic departments at the University of Oregon, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Texas at El Paso and Northern Illinois University.{{Cite web|url=https://news.uncg.edu/jim-schaus//|title=JIM SCHAUS|website=UNC Greensboro|date=7 June 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://northernstar.info/8468/opinion/athletic-staff-filled-with-hire-of-schaus/|title=Athletic staff filled with hire of Schaus|website=NIU Northern Star|date=23 September 1992}}
=Wichita State=
Schaus was athletic director for Wichita State from 1999 to 2008 during which he hired Gregg Marshall as the men's basketball coach.{{Cite web|url=https://markybillson.medium.com/who-is-new-southern-conference-commissioner-jim-schaus-and-what-does-he-need-to-do-97059c7ad7f3|title=Who Is New Southern Conference Commissioner Jim Schaus and What Does He Need To Do?|date=5 June 2019}} Marshall would later lead the Shockers to the 2013 NCAA Final Four and a #1 seed in the 2014 NCAA tournament.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2014/03/16/college-basketball-tournament-bracket-seeds-revealed/6497875/|title=Florida, Arizona, Wichita State, Virginia earn top NCAA seeds|website=USAToday}} He was awarded the Division I Central Region AstroTurf AD of the Year in 2007.{{Cite web|url=https://huntscanlon.com/search-firms-partner-to-find-new-commissioner-for-southern-conference/|title=Search Firms Partner to Find New Commissioner for Southern Conference|website=Hunt Scanlon Media|date=14 June 2019}} During the 2007 season the Shockers won Missouri Valley Conference titles in women's cross country, and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, women's tennis and baseball.
His coaching hires included Chris Lamb as volleyball coach, Tom McCurdy as women's golf coach, Steve Rainbolt as track and field coach, Mark Turgeon and Gregg Marshall for men's basketball, Jody Adams for women's basketball, and Tim Walton for softball. All of these hires guided Wichita State to NCAA tournaments.{{Cite web|url=https://goshockers.com/news/2019/9/20/the-roundhouse-rh-schaus-hires-set-up-shockers-for-success.aspx|title=Schaus Hires Set Up Shockers for Success|website=Wichita State Athletics|date=8 September 2023 }}
=Ohio=
From 2008 to 2019 he was the athletic director at Ohio. Under the leadership of Schaus and Head coach Frank Solich the Ohio football program was bowl eligible every season during his tenure.{{Cite news|url=https://footballscoop.com/news/ohio-ad-become-commissioner-socon|title=Ohio AD to become commissioner of SoCon|newspaper=Footballscoop|date=4 June 2019 }} Ohio played in 10 bowl games{{Cite web|url=https://www.chattanoogan.com/2019/6/4/391378/Southern-Conference-Names-Jim-Schaus.aspx|title=Southern Conference Names Jim Schaus As Its Ninth Commissioner|website=The Chattanoogan|date=4 June 2019}} and won the 2011 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, the 2012 Independence Bowl, the 2017 Bahamas Bowl, and the 2018 Frisco Bowl.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=313510328|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019143931/http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=313510328|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 19, 2016|title=Ohio scores in waning seconds to upend Utah State, earn 1st bowl victory|website=ESPN}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=323632433|title=Tyler Tettleton, Beau Blankenship spark Ohio in Independence Bowl|website=ESPN}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=400953388|title=Ohio beats UAB 41-6 in Bahamas Bowl|website=ESPN}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=401032059|title=Ohio rolls to 27-0 win over San Diego State in Frisco Bowl|website=ESPN}} Ohio won the MAC East division title in 2009, 2011, and 2016 but failed to win the MAC Championship Game each time.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=293382117|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201023224/https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=293382117|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 1, 2022|title=LeFevour leads Central Michigan past Ohio, to MAC crown|website=ESPN}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/313362459|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809224235/https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/313362459|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 9, 2021|title=Northern Illinois erases 20-point halftime deficit to win MAC title|website=ESPN}}{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2679603-mac-championship-2016-western-michigan-vs-ohio-live-score-and-highlights|title=MAC Championship 2016: Western Michigan vs. Ohio Live Score and Highlights|website=Bleacher Report}}
Ohio's 2010 men's basketball team defeated 12th ranked Georgetown in the first round of 2010 NCAA tournament.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailybreeze.com/2010/03/19/ncaa-basketball-no-14-ohio-upsets-georgetown/|title=NCAA BASKETBALL: No. 14 Ohio upsets Georgetown|website=Daily Breeze|date=19 March 2010}} In 2012 they won the MAC tournament and made the sweet sixteen in the NCAA tournament while defeating Big Ten regular season co-champion Michigan in the first round and South Florida in the second round.{{Cite web|url=https://cleveland.sbnation.com/2012/3/10/2861172/2012-mac-championship-ohio-bobcats-akron-zips-ncaa-tournament|title=Akron Vs. Ohio Final: Bobcats Tip Zips, Win MAC Championship|website=SBNation|date=10 March 2012}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/320760130|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201012148/https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/320760130|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 1, 2022|title=Ohio holds on to shock fourth-seeded Michigan|website=ESPN}}{{Cite web|url=https://cleveland.sbnation.com/2012/3/18/2883253/ohio-vs-south-florida-2012-ncaa-tournament-final-score|title=2012 NCAA Bracket, South Florida Vs. Ohio Final Score: Bobcats Prevail 62-56, Head To Sweet 16|website=SBNation|date=18 March 2012}} Ohio finished 2012 ranked #25 in the Coaches Poll.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings/_/year/2012|title=Men's College Basketball Rankings|website=ESPN}}
Schaus hired Bob Boldon as the head coach of the women's basketball team in 2013. Under Boldon Ohio had one of the best stretches of success in program history. Ohio had winning seasons each of the final six years of Schaus' tenure at Ohio. They won the MAC East in 2015, 2016, and 2019. Ohio won the 2015 MAC tournament and qualified for the NCAA tournament.{{Cite web|url=https://woub.org/2015/10/27/ohio-womens-basketball-picked-to-win-mac-east/|title=Ohio Women's Basketball Picked To Win MAC East|website=WOUB|date=27 October 2015}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/2016/03/ohio_bobcats_mac_womens_tourna.html|title=Ohio Bobcats are No. 1 seed for MAC Women's Tournament|website=Cleveland|date=5 March 2016}} In 2019 Ohio won a school record 30 games.{{Cite web|url=https://citadelsports.com/news/2019/6/5/general-southern-conference-names-jim-schaus-new-commissioner/|title=Southern Conference Names Jim Schaus New Commissioner|website=The Citadel Athletics|date=5 June 2019 }}
Ohio's volleyball team won seven MAC Championships while Schaus was AD and appeared in five NCAA Regionals.{{Cite web|url=https://wisesportsradio.com/2019/06/04/southern-conference-names-jim-schaus-new-commissioner/|title=Former Ohio University director of athletics will assume role July 1|website=Wise Sports Radio|access-date=2022-02-01|archive-date=2022-02-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201023225/https://wisesportsradio.com/2019/06/04/southern-conference-names-jim-schaus-new-commissioner/|url-status=dead}} The baseball and softball teams each won two MAC Championships.{{Cite web|url=https://admin.charlestoncvb.com/storage/sports-press/pdf/a55e06f34c29b4f6abb7eabf00a75a82.pdf|title=Southern Conference names Jim Schaus new commissioner|website=Charleston Visitor Bureau}} Ohio's graduation rate for athletes during his tenure was 88%.{{Cite web|url=https://greensbororotary.org/event/jim-schaus-meet-the-new-socon-commissioner//|title=Jim Schaus, Commissioner, Southern Conference|website=Rotary Club of Greensboro}} Schaus inherited a $2.3 million budget deficit upon arriving at Ohio but balanced the budget during every year of his tenure.{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/southern-conference-hires-ohio-ad-jim-schaus-as-commissioner/|title=Southern Conference hires Ohio AD Jim Schaus as commissioner|website=Seattle Times|date=4 June 2019}}
In 2015 he began a term as one of the 10 members on the selection committee for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaa-picks-schaus-white-next-years-selection-committee-170204009--ncaab.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall|title=NCAA picks Schaus, White for next year's selection committee|website=Yahoo Sports|access-date=2022-02-01|archive-date=2022-02-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201023225/https://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaa-picks-schaus-white-next-years-selection-committee-170204009--ncaab.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall|url-status=dead}} In January 2017 the NCAA began looking to replace the Rating percentage index as the rating system used as the primary team sorting tool by the selection committee.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18468008/ncaa-tournament-officials-meet-analytics-experts-consider-creating-new-metric|title=NCAA officials to consider new metric in tourney selection process|website=ESPN|date=13 January 2017}} Schaus and Dan Gavitt, the NCAA's senior vice president of basketball, met with Jeff Sagarin, Kevin Pauga (KPI), Ken Pomeroy, and Ben Alamar (ESPN BPI) to begin the process of considering a new alternative.{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/ncaa-officials-metric-tourney-selection-process/story?id=44775243|title=NCAA officials to consider new metric in tourney selection process|website=ABC News}} The eventual result was the NET Rankings.{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/ranking-system-developed-ncaa-tournament-replacing-rpi/story?id=57335150|title=New ranking system developed for NCAA tournament, replacing RPI|website=ABC News}}
=Southern Conference=
On July 1, 2019, Schaus was hired as Commissioner of the Southern Conference.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wspa.com/sports/college-sports/new-socon-commissioner-jim-schaus-introduced/|title=New SoCon Commissioner Jim Schaus Introduced|website=WSPA Spartanburg|date=5 June 2019}} Southern Conference Basketball has performed at its highest level in decades both in terms of the quality of top teams and conference depth.{{Cite news|url=https://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/2020-ncaa-tournament-two-bids-southern-conference-campaign-worth-endorsing|title=2020 NCAA Tournament: Two Bids for the Southern Conference is a Campaign Worth Endorsing|newspaper=Athlonsports.com | Expert Predictions, Picks, and Previews|date=2 March 2020 }} Schaus implemented a new scheduling model to enhance the chances of success for Southern Conference programs. In 2019 the Southern Conference finished 10th in the NET rankings. Wofford finished the season ranked #19 and defeated Seton Hall in the first round of the NCAA tournament.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/magee-sets-record-wofford-tops-seton-hall-for-1st-ncaa-win/|title=Magee sets record, Wofford tops Seton Hall for 1st NCAA win|website=CBS Sports|date=22 March 2019 }} UNC Greensboro and Furman both qualified for the NIT{{Cite web|url=https://soconsports.com/news/2019/3/17/211796064.aspx|title=Furman, UNCG earn at-large NIT bids|website=Southern Conference|date=17 March 2019 }}
During the COVID-19 pandemic he announced that 2020 Spring Conference sports were cancelled{{Cite web|url=https://www.etsubucs.com/mbasketball/news/2019-20/17105/commissioner-jim-schaus-delivers-state-of-the-conference-address/|title=Commissioner Jim Schaus delivers State of the Conference Address|website=ETSU Athletics}} and before the 2020-21 FCS Football Season, like most FCS conferences, the Southern Conference would play in the spring.{{Cite web|url=https://woffordogb.com/2020/11/03/spring-football-but-for-real-this-time/|title=Spring Football, But For Real This Time|website=The Old Gold and Black Wofford College}} The Southern Conference was the only FCS conference to have all teams compete during that season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/citadel/after-a-covid-troubled-spring-season-socon-tries-to-get-back-to-normal/article_1c91610a-ee29-11eb-b908-1363cb36538f.html/|title=After a COVID-troubled spring season, SoCon tries to get back to normal|website=The Post and Courier|date=26 July 2021 }}
In February 2023, Schaus announced his retirement effective June 30. Michael Cross, a veteran college sports administrator who had most recently served with the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, was named as his successor.{{cite press release|url=https://soconsports.com/news/2023/5/30/baseball-michael-cross-named-southern-conference-commissioner.aspx |title=Michael Cross Named Southern Conference Commissioner |publisher=Southern Conference |date=May 30, 2023 |access-date=June 22, 2023}}
Personal life
He is the son of former Los Angeles Lakers, Purdue and West Virginia head coach Fred Schaus.{{Cite web|url=https://www.goupstate.com/story/sports/2019/06/06/new-socon-commissioner-jim-schaus-hopes-to-build-on-leagues-success/4978818007/|title=Staying on the right track|website=GoUpstate}} He and his wife Priscilla have three adult children.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Wichita State Shockers athletic director navbox}}
{{Ohio Bobcats athletic director navbox}}
{{Southern Conference commissioner navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schaus, Jim}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Ohio Bobcats athletic directors
Category:Purdue University alumni
Category:Sportspeople from Morgantown, West Virginia
Category:Southern Conference commissioners