UW hires new top women's sports official

With all Huskies' eyes focused on when - not if - Scott Woodward will fire football coach Tyrone Willingham, Washington's new athletic director is busy stirring up his department.

On Friday, Woodward named Stephanie Rempe as his senior associate director of athletics, the senior woman administrator on his staff. Rempe (pronounced REMP) is coming from the University of Oklahoma to replace Marie Tuite, who the school now says is resigning her position.

Woodward, hired in September after a nine-month search to replace Todd Turner, said earlier this month he is dismissing Tuite. He called Rempe "the perfect candidate" to fill the job.

Rempe will have a more expanded role than Tuite did. Rempe will oversee the daily operations of both the men's and women's basketball programs in addition to being the department's liaison to the Pac-10 Conference and NCAA committees related to women's sports.

Tuite oversaw Olympic sports. Rempe will be responsible for some of those, but will also have "additional responsibilities that will be determined as Woodward continues to restructure department operations," the school said in a statement.

"We are really fortunate to add Stephanie as a senior member of our athletics staff," Woodward said. "She is a top-notch administrator who has earned a great deal of respect among her peers throughout the country.

"I think our student-athletes, coaches, staff and the entire Husky community will benefit from her commitment to our institution."

The native of Santa Barbara, Calif., will begin her duties at the UW in mid-November.

"I am really excited for this opportunity at the University of Washington," said Rempe, who was a senior associate AD at Oklahoma. "I am a West Coast native and my roots are in the Pac-10, where I was a student-athlete and I started my professional career.

"I value working at institutions that compete at the highest levels of college athletics and operate with integrity as well as a true regard for the overall development of student-athletes. Washington matches those values."

Before going to Oklahoma, Rempe was the senior woman administrator for athletics at UTEP.

Since joining Oklahoma's staff in 2003, Rempe has been an administrator for men's basketball, volleyball, men's and women's gymnastics, wrestling and softball. The 1993 graduate of the University of Arizona and former volleyball player for the Wildcats also oversaw responsibilities for the Sooners' women's basketball, soccer, men's and women's cross country, indoor and outdoor track programs, plus the sports medicine program and the department's strength and conditioning program.

"We appreciate Stephanie's contributions and service to our athletics program," Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione said. "She has been an enthusiastic advocate for coaches and student-athletes and has helped create some very special programs which will benefit many in the years to come. We understand this is a special opportunity for her to continue her career in a region and conference in which she has great ties."

Woodward has said repeatedly he will not determine until after this season ends whether he will keep Willingham around for the final year of his contract in 2009. The Huskies are 0-5 entering Saturday's home game against Oregon State.