DES MOINES, Iowa -- Associate athletic director Laird Veatch said it was possible Iowa State could hire a new coach as early as next week.

"I don't think that is out of the question," he said. "If that were to happen, that would be great. It depends on how things would progress."

Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy resigned Monday following reports he had partied with college students in Missouri and Kansas.

Talk of the search for Eustachy's successor has centered on Creighton coach Dana Altman, Wyoming's Steve McClain and Utah State's Stew Morrill. Iowa native and former Atlanta Hawks coach Terry Stotts and Morehead State coach Kyle Macy also have been mentioned as possible candidates.

Altman has recruited successfully in Iowa and is well known in the state. McClain is an Iowa native and Morrill was hired at Utah State when Iowa State athletic director Bruce Van De Velde was the AD there.

"We're moving forward as quickly as we can, making sure that we're looking at every angle, every individual that would be best suited for our program," Veatch said.

Meanwhile, 6-foot-9 forward Damion Staple, a Eustachy recruit out of Southeastern Illinois College, apparently wants out but his junior college coach says the university has ignored the request.

Staple signed with Iowa State last month, just before pictures of Eustachy partying with college students in Missouri were published.

Eustachy resigned on Monday and now Staple, who's from Jamaica, wants to be released from his national letter of intent so he can go to another school without sitting out for a year.

Southeastern coach Todd Franklin said he called Iowa State athletic officials to ask for the release but has heard from no one other than assistant coach Wayne Morgan, who has no authority in such matters.

"They haven't done anything to try to talk to Damion," Franklin said Thursday. "We have heard nothing. And when I say nothing, I mean dead, flat silence."

Franklin said he called Van De Velde late last week, left a voice message and a message with a secretary, but has not heard from him.

"Our athletic director is doing what he can," Veatch said. "Obviously, his focus right now is his search. There's an amazing amount of phone calls and effort in that. Every waking hour is taken up."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.