[Dick Dull] was in El Paso yesterday negotiating a contract, sources said, and was scheduled to return here last night. It could not be ascertained whether Dull had completed negotiations.

Ed Mullens, a UTEP spokesman, denied a story in the Baltimore Sun yesterday that Dull, 41, had been selected and would be named later this week. The job has been vacant since Bill Cords resigned in February and subsequently was named athletic director at Marquette. Mullens said Dull was one of two finalists; the other is Bob Backrath, an associate athletic director at Arizona.

Since his resignation at Maryland, Dull has been a special assistant to Chancellor John B. Slaughter. The chancellor confirmed that Dull was in El Paso yesterday but, as far as he knew, did not have the job yet.