Dan Mullen tops wish list for Penn State

A Penn State trustee and the coach of the four-time defending national champion women's volleyball team will be part of a six-person university committee that will lead the search for fired football coach Joe Paterno's replacement. The school said in a statement Monday that the committee headed by acting athletic director Dave Joyner would meet this week. Paterno lost his job after 46 seasons in the aftermath of child sex abuse charges against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Penn State has begun arranging meetings in the search, and Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen is at the forefront of the Nittany Lions' list of candidates, a source told ESPN's Joe Schad. The search committee includes trustee Ira Lubert, the head of private investment management firms; and longtime women's volleyball coach Russ Rose. Also on the committee are Linda Caldwell, the faculty athletics representative; emeritus communications professor John Nichols, chair of the Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics; and associate athletic director Charmelle Green.

"The mix of search committee members is intentional," Joyner said Monday night in a separate statement. "We're looking for a broad perspective and representation of the entire university."