Fairbanks, Alaska—Longtime Alaska Nanooks skiing and cross-country coach
Scott Jerome will serve as interim athletic director at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Jerome, who has served as head skiing and cross country coach since 2004, will replace Forrest Karr, who has accepted a leadership position at Northern Michigan University.
“Scott's longevity and experience with the department will provide stable leadership as we go through the process of conducting the search for a permanent athletic director,” said UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers.
Prior to coming to UAF, Jerome served in a similar position at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn. He has also held coaching positions at Northern Michigan University, Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine, and the Kents Hill School in Kents Hill, Maine. He has a bachelor's degree in political science from Bates College and a master's degree in exercise science from Northern Michigan University. He will remain in his position as head skiing and cross-country coach while serving as athletic director. In the interim, assistant coach Matt Dunlap will take on additional duties as associate head coach and Bryan Pepper will serve as assistant coach.
UAF will launch a national search for a permanent replacement. UAF alumnus and former student-athlete Bart LeBon will serve as chairman of the hiring committee. Other members include Dr. Cary Keller, Gary Wilken,
Dallas Ferguson, Cody Burgess, Mark Hermann, Kris Racina, Bob Shefchik and Dani Sheppard. UAF is waiting for confirmation from several other committee members in the community. The university anticipates naming a new athletic director by September.
UAF is an NCAA Division II institution and member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference that sponsors 10 varsity sports. The men's hockey program competes in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association at the Division I level, while women's swimming participates in the Pacific Coast Swimming and Diving Coaches Conference and men's and women's skiing compete in the Central Collegiate Ski Association.
