Badger Bits: Rutgers passes over Sean Frazier in athletic director search

Lacking any significant experience at handicapping athletic director searches -- really, lacking any such experience -- I told a few people via Twitter and whatnot that it appeared Sean Frazier was a better and more likely candidate to be Rutgers' next AD. Wisconsin's deputy AD has a quality resume, chief among the titles being the person largely in charge of daily operations for UW's athletic department and its football program. Hermann, meanwhile, carries quality experiences in her own right, overseeing 20 of Louisville's 23 sports while juggling marketing and fundraising efforts.

So all this is to say that Rutgers is actually hiring Hermann, per The Star-Ledger's Tom Luicci, and that seems to be that. Hermann will be the third woman to hold the highest position in a BCS school athletic department, joining California's Sandy Barbour and N.C. State's Debbie Yow. Hermann is also the first female athletic director in Rutgers' history, a decidedly bold move as the Scarlet Knights prepare their transition into the Big Ten.

Rutgers has yet to announce the decision, though a press conference is expected to be scheduled for later Wednesday.

She was chosen for the position at Rutgers over Wisconsin deputy athletic director Sean Frazier following an emergency voting session this morning by the school's 11-member Board of Governors. That session was necessitated after Rutgers' six-member Executive Athletic Committee deadlocked at 3-3 in trying to choose between Hermann and Frazier as Tim Pernetti's successor.

It's interesting the decision was that close, and I imagine it speaks well to Frazier's candidacy as an athletic director. Between his impressive resume and the stature Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez has previously flaunted to help worthy assistants land promotions elsewhere, it feels safe to say Frazier will get his shot running the show before long.

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The Big Ten spring meetings heated up on Tuesday. Here's all that went down as it pertains to both the Badgers and the conference as a whole.

2013 Michigan State commit Jay Harris won't be a Spartan after all -- would you want to play for Mark Dantonio? -- electing to pursue a rap career instead. No joke. Apparently his scholarship was pulled after his music videos (do we still call them that?) went viral, so it doesn't look Harris had a choice. Bum luck or crappy decision-making, your call. I'll go with the latter.

Big Ten rap-related fun:

-- EDSBS sets forth hip-hop titles for each school. Wisconsin's? Why that's "Transfer Waiver In Your Ear." Have you heard Illinois'? It's a bona fide chart-topper, "It Takes Two (Touchdowns To Outscore Us)." And, of course, Penn State's is a must listen: "Money, Power, Respect"

-- Rodger Sherman breaks down Harris' own skills. Not really much to say beyond, "He's not very good."

The NCAA softball tournament is beginning later this week. The Wisconsin State Journal's Andy Baggot chats with Badgers star pitcher Cassandra Darrah and Rob Hernandez has a video on the team departing for Oregon. Wisconsin plays North Carolina at 5 p.m. CT.