Tim Grant, a former basketball player, assistant coach and administrator at Winston-Salem State, is among the finalists for the vacant athletics-director job at the university, according to sources.
Grant was one of about 60 applicants for the job and, sources said, he will be one of six candidates who will be interviewed later this month.
Grant, 50, is currently the director of Winston-Salem's Parks and Recreation Department. He couldn't be reached for comment yesterday.
Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, perhaps WSSU's most recognizable alumnus, was at Winston Lake Golf Course yesterday to play in a benefit tournament for the Big House Gaines scholarship fund. He backed Grant 100 percent.
"I think Tim would be an excellent pick," said Monroe, WSSU's career scoring leader and a member of the school's NCAA Division II national championship team in 1966-67.
"He's been here in Winston so long he's part of the fabric of the university, and I just think he is a galvanizing type of person the school needs in that position."
Monroe said that Grant would be a perfect candidate to help bring alumni together as the school tries to continue its move toward Division I.
Grant played for Gaines, graduated from WSSU in 1980 and worked as an assistant coach under Gaines from 1981 to 1994.
"I've always been against the move to Division I, but Tim's the guy that would definitely be an asset as they move forward," Monroe said. "Like I said, he would be a galvanizing force with the alums."
Grant was also an assistant athletics director for most of his time as assistant basketball coach, and he is on the school's hall-of-fame committee and its foundation board.
Grant, who was also voted into Winston-Salem State's Hall of Fame last year, has been at Winston-Salem's Parks and Recreation Department for the past six years.
Also said to be among the finalists is Tonia Walker, the associate athletics director and senior women's administrator at WSSU. Walker, who has been at WSSU since August 2000, was named the interim AD after Chico Caldwell was fired Feb. 9. Walker couldn't be reached for comment.
Bill Hayes was said to be a possible candidate a month ago but he hasn't applied for the job. Hayes, the AD at Florida A&M, is a former football coach at WSSU and former AD at N.C. Central.
Chancellor Donald Reaves of WSSU said last month that the state's hiring freeze prevents him from replacing Caldwell until after July 1.
■ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or jdell@wsjournal.com.
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