YOUNGSTOWN - Jim Tressel has been chosen as the next president of Youngstown State University. The trustees at Youngstown State unanimously selected the former Ohio State University football coach and current executive vice president at the University of Akron to become the ninth president of the Mahoning County institution.

YOUNGSTOWN � Jim Tressel has been chosen as the next president of Youngstown State University.



The trustees at Youngstown State unanimously selected the former Ohio State University football coach and current executive vice president at the University of Akron to become the ninth president of the Mahoning County institution.



Tressel was a finalist for the presidency at Akron, but lost out yesterday to Scott Scarborough, provost at the University of Toledo.



According to a press release issued by Youngstown State, the appointment isn�t final until the contract terms are reached.



Tressel will succeed Randy J. Dunn, who resigned in March to become president of Southern Illinois University.



The university said the trustees voted to offer the position to Tressel after a national search. Tressel and two other finalists for the position visited campus this week. The board met in closed, executive session this morning and then convened publicly to vote to offer Tressel the position.



�After fully examining each and every candidate and reviewing the input from hundreds of individuals across the campus and the community, the Board of Trustees believes Mr. Tressel is the right individual at the right time to lead Youngstown State University,� board Chair Sudershan Garg. �Mr. Tressel has the personality and leadership skills, in addition to widespread community support, to dramatically raise YSU�s profile and prominence across Ohio and the nation.�



Tressel, who grew up in northeast Ohio and graduated from Berea High School in 1971, became vice president for Strategic Engagement at the University of Akron in May 2012 and was promoted to executive vice president for Student Success in December 2013.



He previously was head football coach at Ohio State between 2001 and 2010, where his teams won the national championship in 2002 and Big Ten championships in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. As head football coach at YSU from 1986 to 2000, Tressel�s teams won four Division I-AA national championships. He also was executive director of Athletics at YSU from 1994 to 2000. Prior to YSU, Tressel was an assistant football coach at Ohio State, Syracuse University, Miami University of Ohio and the University of Akron.



He earned a bachelor�s degree in Education from Baldwin-Wallace College in 1975 and a master�s degree in Education from the University of Akron in 1977. He has published two books: The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life (2008) and Life Promises for Success (2011).