Stanford denies talks with Maryland AD STANFORD

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A Stanford spokeswoman Monday denied a report that Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson was in contract negotiations with Stanford to head its athletic department.

Earlier Monday, sources told The Chronicle that Anderson, a former athletic fundraiser at Stanford, was in contract talks to return. According to Lisa Lapin, the assistant vice president for university communications, the school has not talked to Anderson or his representative.

Anderson also denied the report. In a statement issued by Maryland, he said, "I am not in discussions nor have I been with Stanford University regarding their open athletic director position as I am committed to being the director of athletics at the University of Maryland. My focus and energy are committed to working to enhance the student-athlete experience and the competitive and financial success at the University of Maryland. We have just begun the transformation of the athletic department and I look forward to seeing this through."

Anderson was AD at Army for six years before taking the Maryland job in 2010 and signing a five-year contract. His department has a deficit that is projected to surpass $4 million this fiscal year and could reach $17 million by 2017. Last year, according to news reports, his department had to borrow $1.2 million from the university to overcome its budget shortfall. Anderson recently had to cut seven sports as a result.

The Stanford athletic department has been run by interim AD Patrick Dunkley since Bob Bowlsby left in mid-June to become commissioner of the Big 12 Conference. It had been anticipated that the search committee would finish its work by September.

Two head-coaching vacancies need to be filled. Lea Maurer resigned as women's swim coach to spend more time with her family, and Edrick Floreal, director of track and field for the past eight years, left for Kentucky.

Anderson, 57, a San Francisco State graduate, was director of annual giving for athletics at Stanford from 1993 to 1995. Later, he was an assistant AD at Cal for five years and took a similar position at Oregon State for two years before taking the job at Army in 2004.