Former USOC CEO Jim Scherr steps down to head European Games

Jim Scherr has resigned as commissioner of the fledgling National College Hockey Conference to accept the position as chief operation officer for the inaugural European Games, Associated Press reported.

Scherr is the former CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee and oversaw the American contingent at the Olympics in Athens in 2004, Turin in 2006 and Beijing in 2008. He joined the NCHC in January 2012.

In his new post, he'll oversee the operation of the 49-nation games in Baku, Azerbaijan, featuring up to 10,000 athletes, in June 2015.

NCHC board chairman Brian Faison, the AD at North Dakota, said a search for Scherr's replacement would begin immediately.

The NCHC begins its inaugural season next year with Colorado College, Denver, Miami (Ohio), Minnesota Duluth, Nebraska Omaha, North Dakota, St. Cloud State and Western Michigan.