Shake-up in Drury athletics: AD resigns

Drury University's athletic director of the past seven years abruptly resigned on Tuesday, and a university-issued release noted that Pat Atwell left "to pursue other interests."

However, Atwell later acknowledged that he has not accepted a new position "at this time." He declined further questions. His departure is among five non-retirements in the past year from the athletic department.

University president David Manuel refused to field questions, too, leaving it unclear what vision he now seeks for an athletic department that has experienced much attrition over the past calendar year.

Manuel noted his comments in the news release, in which he thanked Atwell for his service, would suffice, spokesman Mike Brothers explained.

Scott Puryear, a former News-Leader sports writer who became Drury's sports information director in the summer of 2005, will serve as interim athletic director, the university noted. A search is under way.

Drury competes in 17 sports in NCAA Division II, with men's and women's basketball as its marquee teams. Both reached the Elite Eight in March, a year after the men's team won the national title.

Atwell's departure comes 18 months after alum Larry O'Reilly donated $1 million to the athletic department, a gift that would start Drury's first athletics endowment fund. The fund will help cover some athletic scholarships.

Atwell also becomes the seventh high-profile departure from the athletic department, including two athletics' prime backers, university president Todd Parnell and former athletic director Edsel Matthews. Both retired in the past year.

Matthews, the longtime AD of Springfield Public Schools, and Parnell were the key fundraisers toward the $13.5 million basketball arena, the O'Reilly Family Event Center.

However, Drury's two women's basketball coaches -- Steve Harold in March 2013, Steve Huber in April of this year -- resigned.

Meanwhile, Manuel directed job cuts and job re-assignments ahead of last school year.

Former basketball standout Matt Miller, appointed by Parnell as the executive director of athletic administration, was re-assigned last fall across campus but ultimately left for a new job in town during the school year.

Baseball coach Mark Stratton also left Drury last fall. He moved into a fundraising role in early 2013 but by October took another job in the area outside of athletics.

In Drury's news release, it noted the success during Atwell's seven seasons overseeing the athletic department: 13 teams won national championships, including 12 by Brian Reynolds' swim and diving teams; the Great Lakes Valley Conference All-Sports Trophy in 2009-2010 and top 30 finishes every year in the Learfield Sports Director's Cup.

Barbara Cowherd has long served as Drury's associate director of athletics and senior women's administrator.

However, Puryear will serve in an interim capacity as AD. In his 21 years at the News-Leader, he covered high schools and later served as a sports columnist.

Drury recently named Puryear the associate athletic director for marketing and communications.