CSUN NOTEBOOK: JUMPER MOTLEY SETS LOFTY GOALS.

Byline: Chris Branam Daily News Staff Writer

Before he graduates next year, Clinte Motley might become known as the best men's track and field athlete to come out of Cal State Northridge.

Motley, a junior from Rancho Cucamonga who won the triple jump at the Northridge Invitational on Saturday, has set a lofty goal: achieving All-American status in the high jump, the long jump and triple jump.

``He has the capability of doing it,'' CSUN jumpers coach Jeff McAuley said. ``He's the best athlete in the Big Sky Conference. There's no question about it.''

Motley was named the Big Sky Conference Athlete of the Meet at the indoor championships in late February, when he won the long jump (24 feet, 4-1/4 inches) and the triple jump (49-7).

He finished 11th in the triple jump at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships with a leap of 51- 1/4.

McAuley said Motley could become the Big Sky's best all-around athlete since Idaho's Dan O'Brien, who went on to win an Olympic gold medal in the decathlon.

Home-field advantage: CSUN hosts the Big Sky outdoor championships from May 19-22, marking the first time the meet will be held in Northridge.

That's good news for the Matadors' men's and women's teams, which won both titles at the indoor championships.

``That's exciting for all the athletes,'' McAuley said. ``They want to win at home.''

Search in progress: Dr. Tom Shannon, CSUN's faculty athletic representative who is the chair of the search committee for a permanent athletic director, said a new AD should by hired by the middle of May.

The seven-member committee has started whittling its pool of applicants to viable interview candidates, Shannon said, even though resumes are being accepted until the position is filled. Interim AD Sam Jankovich's term will end in June.

Getting their kicks: A new athletic director isn't the only position currently open in the department. The job of senior associate athletic director, held by Judy Brame before she resigned along with former AD Paul Bubb last November, needs to be filled along with the head men's and women's soccer coaching posts.

Brian Swanson, the assistant athletic director for external affairs, said both soccer coaches should be hired by the end of April, five months before both seasons begin.

Interim women's coach Allison Lee, who has secured commitments from four local standouts in the past six weeks, has merited strong consideration to be hired permanently.