Oregon State hires Scott Barnes as athletic director

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) Oregon State has lured Pittsburgh athletic director Scott Barnes west to take over the same job with the Beavers.

The school named Barnes vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics Thursday. Barnes, who will start his new job in February, replaces Todd Stansbury. Stansbury left in September to become athletic director at Georgia Tech, his alma mater.

Oregon State President Ed Ray called Barnes a ''perfect fit.''

''He understands that at Oregon State University, good is not good enough,'' Ray said in a statement. ''OSU and its student-athletes will be champions in all aspects of athletics, as students and in the community.''

Barnes spent just over 18 months with the Panthers, who hired him in April 2015 after Steve Pederson was fired. Barnes came to the Panthers after working in the same position at Utah State. During his tenure at Utah State, Barnes hired Gary Andersen as the Aggies' football coach in 2009. Andersen is now the head coach at Oregon State.

Barnes served as chair of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Selection Committee for the 2014-15 season.

Barnes, a native of Spokane, Washington, called it a ''difficult decision'' in a statement, adding he is leaving for Oregon State for ''some very important personal family considerations.''

During his brief time with the Panthers, Barnes hired men's basketball coach Kevin Stallings and oversaw an overhaul at both the school's football facility as well as the Petersen Events Center and made an aggressive effort with fan outreach. Barnes will help oversee the transition before his departure. Pitt chancellor Patrick Gallagher said a national search for a new athletic director will begin immediately.

Oregon State features 18 sports with 535 student-athletes and an operating budget of $84 million, a slightly larger operation than Pittsburgh, which has 19 sports, 475 student-athletes and a $75 million budget.

Oregon State Deputy Athletic Director of Administration and Senior Woman Administrator Marianne Vydra has served as interim vice president and director of OSU intercollegiate athletics since Stansbury's departure.

''Everything that we will do will be defined by excellence,'' Barnes said about his new job in a statement released by the Beavers. ''Success will be measured in wins, championships and by providing the best student-athlete experience possible.''

The 54-year-old has spent the majority of his life in the western part of the United States. He played basketball at Fresno State and has worked in various capacities at Humboldt State in California, Eastern Washington, Washington and Utah State.