Jim Bartko will return to Eugene as the senior associate athletic director, newspaper sources report.
Both The Register-Guard and The Oregonian confirmed his hiring Tuesday afternoon, less than a year after he left the University for a similar position at Cal.
Bartko’s return brings the possibility of a new basketball arena closer to happening. “I think there are some great things that can be done and that I can be a small part of,” Bartko told The Register-Guard.
Through his 17-year tenure previously, Bartko established strong ties with Nike founder Phil Knight and acted as a buffer between Knight and Bill Moos until leaving. “He will certainly help provide a lot of energy to that relationship,” Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny said to The Oregonian. The arena project has regained steam after Oregon’s Elite Eight run this past season and Kilkenny’s hiring.
An announcement is expected as early as today, so expect full coverage in the Emerald as the story develops.
– Doug Bonham