Beyond The Sun
Mike Hamrick makes more than the president.
So did Babe Ruth.
But whereas the Sultan of Swat supposedly said he had a better year than Herbert Hoover, it’s debatable that Hamrick, the UNLV athletic director, had a better year than University President David Ashley.
According to the UNLV Human Resources Department, Hamrick’s base salary is $255,000. Ashley’s is $236,946.
Ruth’s was $75,000. He wanted $80,000, which is what Hoover made. But that was 1930.
In 2008, Hamrick is the fifth-highest-paid employee on the UNLV payroll.
• John White, the dean of the William S. Boyd School of Law, makes $325,000.
• Neal Smatresk, a vice president and provost, makes $275,000.
• Karen West, the dean of the School of Dental Medicine, makes $257,000.
• William Boldt, a vice president of advancement, makes $265,000.
Then comes Hamrick at $255,000. That’s a lot of passing “go” and a lot of collecting $200.
He’s not the only one taking a ride on the Reading. There are 18 athletic department employees making at least $100,000. Seven are football coaches.
Considering the Rebels are coming off three consecutive two-win seasons, that means the football coaches make a minimum of $50,000 per win. And they say A-Rod is overpaid.
Here’s a further look at your tax dollars at play, with my two cents at the end, which doesn’t cost a thing (at least if you’re reading on the Internet).
OVERPAID
Mike Hamrick
Position: Director of athletics
Salary: $255,000
Comment: Most people’s idea of a good athletic director is someone raising money, not making it.
Mike Sanford
Position: Head football coach
Salary: $150,000
Comment: Remember, it’s his offense — not Urban Meyer’s. Meyer won the national championship with Sanford’s offense. Sanford is 6-29.
Todd Berry
Position: Associate head coach, football
Salary: $153,000
Comment: It’s not his offense, it’s Sanford’s. Yet Berry makes more money than his head coach. At least until you add in the coach’s shows and the country club memberships.
Perk Weisenburger
Position: Associate athletic director/external affairs
Salary: $124,183
Comment: He’s the marketing whiz who told half the ticket sellers at Sam Boyd Stadium to stay home before the football season opener a couple of years ago. Make us your team? Not if I can’t buy a ticket.
Lonni Alameda
Position: Head softball coach
Salary: $72,420
Comment: In February, when UNLV was ranked in the top 25, she was worth every penny. Now it’s April and she’s 21-27-1.
Buddy Gouldsmith
Position: Head baseball coach
Salary: $77,681
Comment: If Gouldsmith were winning, you could argue that he’s underpaid. But he’s not. Winning or underpaid.
Owen Hambrook
Position: Head men’s tennis coach
Salary: $47,964
Comment: Hambrook is a nice guy with a 13-14 conference record in five seasons. At least he has two local kids on his roster.
Mario Sanchez
Position: Head men’s soccer coach
Salary: $61,200
Comment: They don’t list Sanchez’s record on his Web site bio. He’s 8-25-4 in two seasons. Now you know why.
Tony Houchin
Position: Head cross country coach
Salary: $40,000
Comment: I don’t know who Tony Houchin is but for 40 grand, you could probably get Frank Shorter.
Sara Swanson
Position: Football program coordinator
Salary: $46,239
Comment: For that money, Mike Sanford’s secretary should also have to coach something.
UNDERPAID
Kat Mertz
Position: Head women’s soccer coach
Salary: $61,529
Comment: Three conference championships in three years on the job. ’Nuff said.
Andy Grossman
Position: Director, media relations
Salary: $58,457
Comment: At most schools, the sports information director is called an associate athletic director. And paid like one.
Bryan Haines
Position: Sports information specialist
Salary: $35,575
Comment: When it comes to media, this guy is more valuable than a Swiss Army knife. I think we need to pass a hat for him.
Kyle Wilson
Position: Head trainer
Salary: $61,808
Comment: How many pulled groins on 320-pound offensive linemen do you have to treat before they give you a raise?
WORTH EVERY PENNY
Lon Kruger
Position: Head men’s basketball coach
Salary: $195,000
Comment: If you thought the past two years were special — and they were — just wait until he gets some players.
Dwaine Knight
Position: Head men’s golf coach
Salary: $150,679
Comment: Knight’s program is one of the nation’s best and is fully endowed, meaning he knows how to raise money. His people should talk to Mike Hamrick’s people.
Daren Libonati
Position:Director, Thomas & Mack Center and Sam Boyd Stadium
Salary: $187,026
Comment: Mike Hamrick couldn’t balance his books without this guy.
Kevin Cory
Position: Head women’s tennis coach
Salary: $61,676
Comment: UNLV is ranked 51st in women’s tennis, which must be good, even if doesn’t sound that good. But Cory has been named conference coach of the year twice in his eight seasons, which is definitely good.
Jim Reitz
Position: Head men’s and women’s swimming coach
Salary: $98,657
Comment: Reitz’s kids win and go to class and like him, and they’ve been doing it forever.
Missy Ringler
Position: Head women’s golf coach
Salary: $65,117
Comment: The women golfers are having an off year but Ringler’s entitled to one after guiding UNLV to five consecutive NCAA regional appearances.
Allison Keeley
Position: Head women’s volleyball coach
Salary: $73,500
Comment: The Rebels went to the NCAA tournament this year and placed eight players on the All-Academic team. Keeley can stay.
Jerry Koloskie
Position: Associate athletic director
Salary: $140,846
Comment: He does most of the work and returns phone calls.
Paul Pucciarelli
Position: Equipment director
Salary: $63,987
Comment: Maybe it doesn’t seem right that the equipment guy makes more than the trainers at UNLV. But whereas I’ve seen Rebels get injured, I’ve never seen one take the field without a uniform.
Greg Grensing
Position: Assistant basketball coach
Salary: $127,530
Comment: When the head coach succeeds, so do you.
MONEY FOR NOTHING, CHECKS FOR FREE
Regina Miller
Position: Ex-head women’s basketball coach
Salary: $173,000
Comment: Miller guided the Lady Rebels to eight consecutive winning seasons, then had two losing ones, and got herself fired with a year remaining on her contract. Now she’s getting handsomely paid for doing nothing.
Barry Barto
Position: Ex-head men’s soccer coach
Salary: $101,777
Comment: It’s like Stan Musial said after he retired: “I have a good job with the Cardinals but don’t ask me what I do.” Once upon a time, Barto was an outstanding soccer coach. He’s still being paid like one after getting the ax.
(Editor's note: This story has been corrected. In an earlier version, a statement in the Comment portion mistakenly referred to Tony Houchin as "Todd" Houchin.)
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