CLEVELAND — Cleveland State has hired Mike Thomas as its new athletic director.
Thomas was the AD at Illinois from 2011-2015 before he was fired in November 2015 by former interim Chancellor Barbara Wilson, less than three months after he fired former Illinois football coach Tim Beckman. Beckman was Thomas' first hire at Illinois after Thomas fired Ron Zook the day after the 2011 football season ended at Illinois.
Thomas went on to fire Bruce Weber in March 2012 as the Illinois men's basketball coach and Jolette Law as the Illinois women's basketball coach.
He replaced Weber with John Groce, who carries an overall record of 91-72 and 33-51 in Big Ten play with the Illini ahead of Saturday's home game against Penn State.