Barbara Burke found out two weeks ago she’d be named Eastern’s new athletic director.

But the current deputy director of athletics and senior woman’s administrator at Wyoming had to keep quiet before word broke about her becoming the ninth full-time athletic director in 108 years of Eastern athletics.

“I was very excited and wanted to tell the world, but I do understand the professionalism and the need to keep some confidences,” she said. “In my heart, when you’ve worked for something so long and so hard, when it’s offered, you just want to tell the world. I didn’t, but now I can.”

It is Burke’s first athletic director position after serving in athletic administration for 15 years at four different schools, with the past 10 at Wyoming.

Prior to starting her career in athletic administration, Burke, a 1980 Western Michigan graduate, worked as a softball and basketball coach for 14 years at the college level including stops at Tennessee Temple, Clearwater Christian (Fla.), Cornerstone College (Mich.), Indiana Southeast and West Virginia State College.

Vice President for Student Affairs Dan Nadler said Burke’s salary would start at $144,000.

Eastern’s Board of Trustees needs to approve a three-year contract for Burke.

Rich McDuffie, Eastern’s previous AD who was relieved of his duties in August 2007, made about $120,000.

Burke, 49, said her last day of appointment at Wyoming is April 15 or 16. She said she then plans to move to Charleston in May and start as early as June.

“That’s my plan if I can find housing and get settled and all those good things,” Burke said. “I just know me personally, if I get all my personal stuff taken care of when June rolls around, I’ll never be home anyway. I’ll be at the office.”

This effects when the next possible swimming head coach could be hired. Ray Padovan retired this season after 42 years, and a new coach can’t be officially hired until Burke starts her first day on the job.

Sports Information Director Rich Moser said Eastern would have the ability to form a search committee and narrow the list down to potential finalists, but Burke would have the final say on who is hired.

“The way things work in these situations is until Barbara is here and officially on the payroll, she can’t make official decisions,” Eastern President Bill Perry said. “But, in this transition time, certainly we’re going to be consulting with her about how to move forward. And that’s the way it always works in these situations.”

Swimming is the only sport of the 21 Eastern offers that currently is without a head coach.

Burke was also one of five initial finalists for the vacant athletic director position at North Dakota. But she said she withdrew her name from consideration this past Monday.

“When the offer came (from Eastern), I had a very good feel for Dr. Perry and Dr. Nadler,” she said. “It just felt right. I can’t explain it. For those of you who have done job searches before, you just know. North Dakota was a wonderful opportunity, but Eastern Illinois was ahead of Dakota and I had made a commitment to Eastern and that was the right thing to do. I have no regrets, not one.”

Check back to dennews.com on Sunday night for more coverage of Friday’s announcement that Barbara Burke is Eastern’s new athletic director.

Matt Daniels can be reached at 581-7936 or at mwdaniels@eiu.edu.