UIW's Richard Duran attempts smooth transition of leadership

Elevated to interim athletic director Monday, replacing Dr. Brian Wickstrom

SAN ANTONIO – On Monday, Aug 12, the University of the Incarnate Word suddenly announced that Athletic Director Dr. Brian Wickstrom was leaving the university. The move came just hours after Wickstrom led the Cardinals' annual athletics staff meeting and luncheon at the Wyndham Garden Riverwalk Hotel.

No official reasons were given for his departure.

Forty-four hours after that announcement, interim athletic director Richard Duran addressed members of the media at the Cardinals' official Football Media Day and attempted to start a smooth transition.

"First, I would like to thank Dr. Evans for the opportunity to lead this incredible team," Duran said. "Over the past two years, I've had some tremendous success. I look forward to continuing that by working with our student athletes, our coaches and our campus community."

Duran followed Wickstrom from the University of Louisiana-Monroe to UIW in 2017 and helped build a strong new culture of athletics on campus. In his opening statement, Duran made special mention of the impact Wickstrom has had on his career.

"I really want to thank Dr. Brian Wickstrom for both his friendship and mentorship," Duran said. "We've worked together for the past seven years and I would not be the person I am today or the professional I am today without him. I wish him and his family nothing but the best moving forward."

The one topic Duran steered clear of was the reasoning behind the change in leadership. "Per campus policy, we can't comment on personnell issues. What I will say is that I'm excited for this new chapter of the department. I'm so thankful to be a part of this team and we're just going to turn the page and move on to the next chapter."

While questions continue to swirl around Wickstrom's exodus, Duran wanted to reassure the Cardinals faithful that the athletic department would maintain its current trajectory of success.

"I'm right here in front of you," Duran said. "I've learned from a great mentor and I've been a part of the great things that have happened on this campus. The thing I'm going to tell you about UIW is that we are a family. Over the past 24-36 hours, our faculty, our alumni, our staff and our community has rallied around our department. I hope they have faith in me having been a part of every decision made over the last two years. We're going to keep this thing moving."

At the conclusion of Duran's availabilty, UIW football head coach Eric Morris said that the turmoil at the top has not trickled down to the team and their performance.

"Our head's been down the whole time," Morris said. "We're over there in a bunk. We as a program are controlling what we can control right now, and that's us going out each and every day and getting one day better on the football field."

The Cardinals will open the 2019 regular season against their crosstown rival UTSA in the Alamodome on Aug 31 at 5 p.m.