Manhattan ? Less than a year after taking over as Kansas State’s athletic director, Bob Krause announced Tuesday that he is leaving that job to direct fundraising for a new K-State campus in Olathe.

Krause’s resignation is effective March 31. He took the job as athletic director in April 2008 after serving as the university’s vice president for institutional advancement and wasn’t expected to serve in the AD post for long. He has been with Kansas State for 23 years. University President Jon Wefald says deputy athletic director Jim Epps will serve as interim athletic director until a replacement is selected.

“For almost a year now, I have worked with the athletics department since this has been a high priority for the university as it makes a transition of leadership in the president’s office,” Krause said in a written statement released by the university. “I believe the department is in very good shape.”

Wefald, who is retiring after the current academic year, added that the new AD will be chosen by the school’s next president.

Wefald said the announcement is all part of the plan to have a “seamless transition.”

“Bob is so looking forward to his new duties,” he said in a telephone interview. “It’s the sort of thing he’s done before and he enjoys it greatly. The new president would name his own A.D. anyway.”

In his new position as director of development for Kansas State’s Olathe Innovation Campus, Krause will lead fundraising efforts for the suburban Kansas City facility, which has been in the works for about a decade.

“Over the last 10 years we have worked hard to establish a campus in the Kansas City area related to developing food safety and security as the university’s top academic and research priority,” Krause said.

Since joining the Kansas State staff in 1986 as director of student affairs, Krause has worn many hats and been closely associated with athletics.

Among the most noteworthy events of Krause’s one-year tenure were the firing of football coach Ron Prince three months after giving him a five-year contract extension, and the hiring of popular former Wildcats coach Bill Snyder, who was responsible for turning the football program around after taking over in the late 1980s.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

OSU remembers victims

Stillwater, Okla. — Oklahoma State University commemorated the eighth anniversary of a plane crash that killed 10 men associated with the basketball program on Tuesday.

Despite frigid and icy weather that resulted in the cancellation of classes, the university kept open the lobby of Gallagher-Iba Arena, where a memorial to the 10 men is located. As in previous years, people left flowers and other mementos at the memorial.

The plane crashed Jan. 27, 2001, after the Cowboys had played at Colorado.

Killed in the crash were players Nate Fleming and Daniel Lawson, director of basketball operations Pat Noyes, publicist Will Hancock, trainer Brian Luinstra, manager Jared Weiberg, play-by-play announcer Bill Teegins, radio engineer Kendall Durfey and pilots Denver Mills and Bjorn Fahlstrom.

TENNIS

Serena wins in Australia

Melbourne, Australia — U.S. Open champion Serena Williams remains on track to back-to-back majors, advancing to the Australian Open semifinals with a comeback win today over Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Russia’s Kuznetsova, the 2004 U.S. Open champion, served for the match in the second set but Williams rallied for a 5-7, 7-5, 6-1 win at Rod Laver Arena.

The stadium roof was closed after the first set when temperatures soared above 104 degrees and the tournament’s Extreme Heat Policy was put into effect, suspending play on outside courts.

The 27-year-old Williams has nine Grand Slam singles titles and won the Australian Open in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

BASEBALL

First baseman Casey retires

Cincinnati — Chatty first baseman Sean Casey is retiring after a dozen major league seasons with five teams, headed for a second career that suits him as well.

“The Mayor” is hitting the airwaves. Casey announced his retirement Tuesday and his move to the fledgling MLB Network, a 24-hour channel launched this month to about 50 million homes. He’ll be a studio analyst initially.

Casey became a three-time All-Star during his eight seasons with the Reds.

Jimenez, Rockies agree

Denver — Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez and the Colorado Rockies have agreed to four-year contract that contains club options for 2013 and 2014.

The 25-year-old went 12-12 with a 3.99 earned-run average last year, his first full season in the majors. He led all Rockies pitchers with 172 strikeouts, the most in a season for a Colorado pitcher since Pedro Astacio’s 193 in 2000.

Tigers, Perez reach deal

Detroit — Timo Perez and the Detroit Tigers agreed to a minor-league contract Monday with an invitation to spring training. The outfielder spent last season with Detroit’s Triple-A Toledo affiliate, hitting .302 with 13 home runs and 63 RBIs in 112 games. He had 30 doubles and two triples. He would get a $525,000, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster.

NFL

London tickets selling

London — The first 70,000 tickets for the NFL’s third regular-season game in London have been sold, with 20,000 bought in the first seven minutes of availability, the NFL said Tuesday. The New England Patriots will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 25 at Wembley Stadium. The previous two NFL games also were sellouts.

Pats hire ex-Titans GM

Foxborough, Mass. — The New England Patriots have hired former Tennessee Titans general manager Floyd Reese as part of a restructuring of the team’s front office. The team also announced Tuesday that Nick Caserio will manage the daily operations of the personnel department following the departure of vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli. Caserio became director of player personnel a year ago.

Stolen rings recovered

Lynn, Mass. — Authorities say they have found 27 New York Giants Super Bowl rings, valued at more than $170,000, stolen last June from a Massachusetts jewelry manufacturer. The Essex District Attorney’s office said investigators found the rings Tuesday in a bank safe deposit box in Saugus. Prosecutors said 22-year-old Kristen Sullivan, who allegedly rented the box, was being held on a charge of receiving stolen property and would be arraigned today.

Ex-receiver Wilson dies

San Francisco — Former San Francisco 49ers receiver Billy Wilson, a six-time Pro Bowler who starred for the team in the 1950s, died Tuesday. He was 81. Wilson led the NFL in receptions three times during his career from 1951-60, retiring with 407 catches for 5,902 yards and 49 touchdowns.

Bills sign free agents

Orchard Park, N.Y. — Free agent receiver P.K. Sam and center Marvin Philip signed with the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday.

Chargers name line coach

San Diego — Former NFL player Mike Sullivan was hired as offensive line coach by the San Diego Chargers on Tuesday. Sullivan played for Tampa Bay for four years and Dallas for one season.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

BC assistant resigns

Boston — Don Yanowsky has resigned as Boston College’s tight ends and special teams coach. Yanowsky held that position the past two seasons under coach Jeff Jagodzinski, who was fired after serving two seasons of his five-year contract.

CYCLING

Tour to finish in K.C.

Jefferson City, Mo. — Riders will reverse course for the third Tour of Missouri this September, with the world-class cycling event starting in St. Louis and ending in Kansas City. The first two events began in Kansas City and worked their way east. The 600-mile route for the third annual race, which runs from Sept. 7-13, will start with a circuit race in St. Louis.

That will be followed by three road stages from Ste. Genevieve to Cape Girardeau, Farmington to Rolla and St. James to Jefferson City. After a time trial in Sedalia, the race will finish with a stage from Chillicothe to St. Joseph and a final circuit race in Kansas City.

BOXING

LeDoux has Lou Gehrig’s

Minneapolis — Former heavyweight boxer Scott LeDoux has Lou Gehrig’s disease. The 60-year-old LeDoux confirmed in an interview with The Associated Press that he has the condition, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.