URBANA — The chairman of the search committee that will recommend candidates for University of Illinois athletic director is no stranger to sports.
Professor Matthew Wheeler, named to head the panel last week, has served on the UI Athletic Board since 1998.
He's been the UI's faculty representative to the Big Ten since 2002, responsible for certifying the athletes' eligibility and reporting violations of all Big Ten rules and NCAA bylaws. He's a regular at Illini football practices, one of the sports he oversees.
And two weeks ago, when the UI informed Bill Cubit he would be the Illini coach for the next two years, just hours before the final game of the season, an emotional Cubit asked Wheeler to relay the news to his team.