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GREENSBORO -- As N.C. A&T officials continue their search for an athletics director, interim AD Wheeler Brown made his first public appeal Thursday for the position.

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Brown, who signed a one-year contract this month to stay in the athletics department, said the school desperately needs the continuity he could provide as AD on a long-term basis.

"Now is the time to get settled in and moving forward," Brown said. "When you look at A&T athletics the last few years, there's been quite a bit of turnover in the athletics department. That doesn't help things. It only hurts."

Brown, who was A&T's associate athletics director in charge of compliance, replaced Dee Todd on an interim basis after chancellor Stanley F. Battle reassigned Todd in November.

The next athletics director will be the school's fourth in eight years. If you include the previous two interim ADs, Brown is the sixth person to run the department since 2000.

Brown said he has the support of all the head coaches in the department, "and whoever gets that job is going to need that support," he added. "You need everyone behind you if you want to be successful."

Linda McAbee, hired last year as the school's vice chancellor for human resources, is handling the national search, which began this month.

McAbee couldn't be reached for comment Thursday. Mabel Scott, a spokeswoman for the university, said A&T has not received any applications. The school has posted the position online and listed a starting date of May 1. Scott said that date is not fixed.

"The university will move as quickly as possible," she said, "but will take as long as needed to get the very best candidate."

Scott said a committee will be formed to review and screen applicants and that Battle will ultimately choose Todd's successor.

Brown said he hoped a permanent athletics director would be in place by the summer -- or the start of school in August at the latest.

Brown, a 1979 A&T graduate, was one of 12 people accepted last year into a mentoring program sponsored by the NCAA. The program pairs women and minority administrators who have senior management-level experience in athletics with athletics directors. Brown's mentor for the 18-month program is Bob Stull of Texas-El Paso.

"I really want this job," Brown said of the athletics director's position. "I've worked hard to prepare for this day, and I think I'm ready."

Contact Robert Bell at 373-7055 or robert.bell@news-record.com