Minnesota on Tuesday announced it will use a four-member search committee and the Parker Executive Search firm to identify Joel Maturi's successor as athletic director.

The search committee will conduct semifinalist interviews and report to university president Eric Kaler. Minnesota also has assembled a 21-member search advisory committee, which will identify the qualities sought for the next athletic director, finalize a job description and forward names to the search committee.

Minnesota wants to determine its finalists by late April and announce the new AD in early May. Kaler wants to have the new athletic director start July 1, the day after Maturi officially retires. Maturi has served as Minnesota's AD since July 12, 2002.

The search committee includes:

• R. Timothy Mulcahy, vice president for research, University of Minnesota
• Mary Jo Kane, director, Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, University of Minnesota
• Amy Phenix, chief of staff, Office of the President, University of Minnesota
• John E. Lindahl, managing general partner, Norwest Equity Partners

The search advisory committee includes faculty, staff, students, community leaders and alumni. Gophers quarterback MarQueis Gray is on the committee, along with men's hockey coach Don Lucia, football operations director Dan O'Brien and athletics compliance director JT Bruett.

One name Minnesota reportedly can scratch off its list is Iowa athletic director Gary Barta, a Minneapolis native. An Iowa spokesman told the (St. Paul) Pioneer Press that Barta is happy staying put.