In a surprisingly quick process the Utah State Aggies are set to hire John Hartwell per multiple reports and sources. The 49-year-old Hartwell has been at Troy University for over two and a half years and in that time he has made several significant upgrades to athletic facilities. He has helped the athletic department make, or undertake, over $30 million dollars worth of improvements in multiple sports.
Additionally while at Troy Hartwell successfully improved academic progress of student athletes and the schools all important APR scores. Another impressive mark on Hartwells resume is his ability to schedule big name opponents
Marquee games are littered across Troy's football schedule for the near future as Hartwell has secured home-and-home contracts with Duke, North Carolina State and Boise State. Additionally, Hartwell negotiated the highest payout for a road game in Troy history with contests at Wisconsin and Nebraska. The scheduling of big name schools to come to Troy doesn't stop at just at football, as Hartwell helped bring Ole Miss to Trojan Arena to open the 2014-15 men's basketball season.
This bodes well for a steadily improving Aggie football and basketball program.
Before his time at Troy, Hartwell spent nine years as the senior executive associate athletics director of the University of Mississippi. While at Mississippi he was responsible for the day-to-day administrative oversight of the football, men's basketball and baseball programs, along with sport oversight of the softball and men's and women's track and field and cross country programs. Hartwell also oversaw the Rebels' business office, ticket office, equipment room, merchandise sales, concessions and football scheduling. To see all of Hartwell's accomplishments check out his Troy bio here.
This looks be a fantastic hire across the board. Football and basketball programs can expect improved schedules with some (hopefully) home and home games against P5 opponents. Hartwell has the experience and abilities to continue to grow all of Utah State's athletic programs and facilities. An announcement of Hartwell leaving Troy is expected to come tomorrow with an announcement of the hire from Utah State sometime after that.
**UPDATE**
John Hartwell will officially be introduced today at a press conference in the Wayne Estes Center on campus at 11 a.m. The press conference is open to the public. Anyone who can't attend the press conference can watch live streaming of the event via USU's web site or listen to the press conference live via KVNU 610 AM.