Elgin AD Poore to resign

Updated: March 23, 2011 9:38AM

When the University of Minnesota hired coach Jerry Kill away from the Northern Illinois football program last month, it set the wheels in motion for the end of Gwen Poore's tenure as athletic director at Elgin High.

Poore's intent to resign from her post at the end of the school year was made public last week when Elgin High principal Dave Smiley included the news along with his announcement that he will retire this summer.

For Poore, the decision was spurred on when her husband Pat Poore agreed to join Kill's staff as Minnesota's new wide receivers coach. Pat Poore spent the past three years working with Kill in DeKalb as a quarterbacks and wide receivers coach for Northern Illinois.

"It's a great opportunity for my husband and their whole staff," Gwen Poore said. "It's definitely exciting."

Gwen Poore is in her second year as Elgin's AD. She took over in the summer of 2009 following the retirement of former AD Art Rohlman. Prior to taking on her current position, Poore worked as an administrator in the career and technical education department.

Although her involvement with Elgin's athletic department was relatively brief, Poore said she is encouraged about the state of Maroons athletics going forward.

"I think a lot of our programs are evolving and we're seeing some success in different areas," Poore said. "I know that will continue. We have fantastic coaches that work really hard."

Poore said it is her understanding that a committee is being formed to hire her replacement, who will serve as the school's fourth athletic director in eight years. She says Elgin's new principal will also likely have a say in the decision.

Poore said she plans to stay on board at Elgin High until the middle of June. She says she still has plenty of things she'd like to accomplish before departing, including the goal of connecting electricity to the Maroons softball field.

Poore's departure marks another chapter in what has been a tumultuous period for athletic directors in Elgin School District U-46. Since the announcement of deep budget cuts in 2009, all five U-46 high schools hired new ADs.

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