RUSTON, La. (AP) -- After 14 years as athletic director at Louisiana Tech, Jim Oakes is retiring. Today (Monday) is his last day on the job for Oakes, who announced his plans to leave in January. He held the position longer than any current athletic director in the state.

When Oakes attended Tech, he was manager of the football team. When university President Dr. Dan Reneau hired him in 1994, he had been chief of staff to U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston for 13 years.

He says some of the accomplishments he's proudust of include Tech's move up to the Western Athletic Conference, running a clean program, balancing the budget and having a higher percentage of athletes graduate than any other school in the state.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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