UP CLOSE: NSU Athletic Director Rob Bernardi

Nicholls State Athletic Director Rob Bernardi has watched the department grow under his tenure.

When he took over the position eight years ago, the Colonels were considered a bottom-level team in the Southland Conference.

Despite having to deal with NCAA allegations of wrongdoing and a budget crisis, Colonels’ athletic teams have become constant competitors in the conference in every sport.

SportsNet caught up with Bernardi to discuss the current state of Nicholls athletics and what to expect in the future.

SportsNet: With the hiring freeze still in effect, what can you tell us about Nicholls’ effort to hire a women’s soccer coach?

Rob Bernardi: By the week’s end, we will have interviewed four candidates for the open position. We will meet and make a decision on a new coach by March 30 with the understanding that that person won’t begin until July 1.

SN: Are those four people aware that they won’t start the job until July?

RB: They are very aware and don’t have a problem with it. Ironically, they were four people that we had identified early on and they expressed continued interest in the position, despite the cutbacks.

SN: Do any of them have any connections to Nicholls?

RB: No. It’s just four people who we feel can help turn the program around and who have expressed a strong interest in that challenge.

SN: Work on the new soccer facility is already under way. Do you have any idea as to when that will be completed?

RB: It’s really at the convenience of Mark Fesi, the contractor. He donated the materials and his time to do it, so I really don’t know when we can provide a completed progress. As long as we can see progress, we’re happy. If this were June or July and the season starts in August, then maybe we’d be a little worried. He understands when the season starts, and we’re confident everything will be completed by the time the soccer season gets here.

SN: What about the open football assistant positions? Any time frame as to when those can be filled?

RB: With the budget situation that won’t be until July 1 as well.

SN: Obviously, that had to affect spring practice right?

RB: It puts a kink in it, but (coaches) are still going to work with individual groups. Athletics is a part of this university. There are other departments on campus that have been unable to hire staff. We fully understand and support (University President) Dr. Stephen Hulbert and we will do our part to help the university.

SN: What is the status of the driving range being built for the golf teams?

RB: (Coach) James (Schilling) is ready to seed parts of the driving range and then they will start constructing the greens sometime soon. It’s moving along. Coach is frustrated by it, but overall we’ve been pleased with the progress of that as well. Hopefully, that’ll be completed sometime soon.

SN: So, I guess you and Dr. Hulbert have been working closely together with the budgeting?

RB: He is in a difficult situation. Right now, the dean of the College of Education isn’t filled. It’s my understanding that there are four available spots in campus police that have gone unfilled along with positions amongst the academic programs that haven’t been filled. So, certainly, we don’t expect to hire football coaches or soccer coaches if we don’t have a dean of the College of Education.

SN: Is it any harder to do your job with potential cuts looming?

RB: It is, but in spite of the budget situation, I’m proud to say we are having one of the best years we’ve had in a long time. We’re competitive. Our facilities are coming along and improving. We are seeing today the positive effects of the student fee. I appreciate the student body of the university. They were committed to helping us out and I think we are seeing the effects of that. If it wasn’t for that student fee money, we would not be experiencing the success we’ve been having in men’s basketball, softball, baseball, football and the rest of the sports. That can all be traced back to the student fee.

SN: Were you concerned about the health of the program when word came down that more cuts could be necessary?

RB: We knew that if we could increase funding, which we have despite the budget problems, we could improve our facilities, which we’ve done. That leads to being more selective in recruiting, which we are. Couple that with really good coaches, which I think we have, and we’re going to keep having success.

SN: How has the image of Nicholls’ athletics changed over your eight years?

RB: I think we’re moving up. We were one of the few teams in the conference to beat Stephen F. Austin in basketball. I think there are signs of Nicholls becoming a top-tier team in the conference all across. It wasn’t always like that. At one time, no one saw Nicholls as a contender in any sport. Now, I think we’ve become one in every sport.

SN: Overall, are you pleased with how much the athletic department has grown?

RB: Absolutely. Like I said, in spite of the budget situation, we’re having what I feel is one of the best years in a while. The basketball team had its first 20-win season since the 1997-98 season. At this point, I think it’s safe to say the softball team could end up making the conference tournament in back-to-back years. Baseball is heading in that direction, and the other sports are really coming along. I don’t want anyone’s focus to just be on the economic situation because then we’d miss the competitiveness of these teams. We certainly have our student body to thank for that because without them we would be losing ground rather than gaining ground.

Nicholls State Athletic Director Rob Bernardi goes over paperwork in his office. Bernardi sat down with SportsNet to discuss the current state of Nicholls athletics in the middle of the budget cuts. * Photo by KYLE CARRIER