Alabama AD Hart accepts same post with Tennessee

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee hired Alabama's Dave Hart as its vice chancellor and athletic director.

Hart, who previously was athletics director at Florida State and East Carolina, has worked since August 2008 as executive director of athletics assisting Alabama athletic director Mal Moore.

"I want this to be perfectly clear: I am absolutely and totally committed to the University of Tennessee," Hart said at a news conference Monday night. "I wanted to say that early because I don't want you to trip over each other to ask the Alabama question."

Alabama's Dave Hart (right), with basketball coach Anthony Grant, will be Tennessee's vice chancellor and athletic director. (US Presswire)

UT Chancellor Jimmy Cheek said he and the search committee responsible for hiring Hart sought someone who had experience as an athletics director at a major university.

"We're on the right path upwards," Cheek said. "What we've got to do is look at our future, and I think our future on the academics side and the athletics side is very positive, and I think having this last piece, the new vice chancellor and director of athletics is a very critical part."

Moore said he anticipated Hart would have opportunities to again become an athletics director when he hired him three years ago.

"When this opportunity came along I had mixed feelings, just as I do now," Moore said in a statement. "While I am very proud and pleased for Dave and his wife, Pam, for the opportunity they have been given, I also hate to lose him. He's a gifted administrator who has done an excellent job for our athletic department and our university. I know I speak for all of us in Alabama athletics in wishing Dave all the best at Tennessee."

The 62-year-old Hart also has advised the Atlantic Coast Conference and was athletic director at Florida State for 13 years. He graduated from Alabama and played basketball for C.M. Newton.

Hart eventually will be the first director to oversee a combined department of men's and women's sports at Tennessee. Since Hamilton resigned as the men's director, former women's AD Joan Cronan has been serving as the interim director over both the men's and women's departments.

Cronan will continue as women's athletics director until June 30 to help with the transition of combining the two departments. After that she will work as a senior adviser to Hart and Chancellor Jimmy Cheek for two years.

"I have an ultimate respect for him as a leader and as a person who can tackle things," Cronan said. "He's also a very compassionate person, so I have no qualms about him leading our athletics program forward."