Copeland to retire as athletic director (Photo by Austin Kilgore, The Daily Campus)

After 11 years as athletic director, Jim Copeland will retire on May 31, according to university sources.

Calls to the athletic director’s office were not returned, and SMU President R. Gerald Turner was not available for comment, but Associate Vice President for Public Affairs Patricia LaSalle said in an e-mail that there would be a university announcement at a press conference this afternoon.

Copeland came to SMU in 1995 after spending eight years as the athletic director at his alma mater, University of Virginia.In addition, he has served on the board of directors of the College Football Association, the NCAA Committee for Restructuring of Division I, the NCAA Division I Management Council and the Western Athletic Conference Bowl Alliance Subcommittee. Copeland also served as president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics in 1996.

Head football coach Phil Bennett was in Houston for a Mustang Club event, but in a phone interview said Copeland discussed the possibility of his retirement with him last summer.

Bennett said Copeland, who is 60, had grown weary from the demands of the job, but credits him for many of the athletic department’s recent successes.

“In a few years, I think people will realize what a formative figure he’s been for SMU athletics,” Bennett said.

Copeland was responsible for firing two basketball coaches and two football coaches, as well as spearheading the effort to build the Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

Bennett said that in many ways Copeland has laid down the groundwork for his successor, and that would make the open position very appealing to many top candidates.

“There are challenges, obviously, but the big things are in place,” he said.

Bennett said he thought four months would be enough time to find a suitable candidate to replace Copeland.

“I believe in Dr. Turner’s leadership. He will make a decision that’s best for all of SMU,” Bennett said.