Mississippi State’s Scott Stricklin
Mississippi State administrator would replace retiring Foley
is expected to be named the new athletics director at Florida, where he’ll be in charge of a program with one of the biggest budgets and most powerful brands in the college game.
GAINESVILLE — Scott Stricklin knew he always wanted to be involved in sports. Now he is poised to arrive at an epicenter of college athletics.
Stricklin is expected to officially be named the Florida Gators’ new athletics director today, a source told the Orlando Sentinel. The job puts the 46-year-old in charge of a program with one of the biggest budgets and most powerful brands in the college game.
But Stricklin struggled with his decision to leave Mississippi State to replace Jeremy Foley. Stricklin graduated from the school in 1992 and has worked there since 2008, including as athletics director since 2010.
Stricklin was a high school sports editor and a freshman manager on the Mississippi State basketball team before he decided on a career path in media relations. Stricklin returned to Starkville in a fundraising role for the Bulldogs.
The experience should serve Stricklin well at UF.
As one of his final acts as athletic director, Foley recently presented plans to the
University Athletic Association board, which oversees UF athletics, for $100 million in new facilities. The changes are highlighted by a 100,000-square-foot standalone football facility.
Under Stricklin’s watch, Mississippi State made more than $140 million in facilities upgrades. They included $25 million toward a football facility and $75 million in upgrades to Davis Wade Stadium, now home to one of the best atmospheres in SEC football.
But like Foley, Stricklin has a keen interest in nonrevenue sports. In 2014-15, 11 Mississippi State programs reached the NCAA postseason and eight were ranked in the top 25, including the No. 1 women’s golf team.
Under Foley, the Gators won 27 national titles. The 63-year-old announced in June he would step aside, effective Oct. 1.
UF declined to comment on Stricklin’s pending hire, which was first reported Monday by USA Today.
In June 2010, Stricklin replaced Greg Byrne at Bulldogs’ athletics director when he left for Arizona. In 2016, Stricklin was named Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year.
Stricklin now faces unenviable task of succeeding a legend. Foley was arguably most visible and powerful AD in what has become a multi-billion dollar industry.
Foley helped establish UF as a basketball power when he took a chance and hired 29-year-old Billy Donovan from Marshall in 1996. During Donovan’s 19 seasons, the Gators won back-to-back national titles and six SEC crowns.
In 2006, Donovan’s Gators and Urban Meyer’s football team each won national championships as Florida became the first school to capture both titles in the same year.
Foley’s reach went well beyond UF’s two flagship programs. The Gators have captured at least one national title during each of the past seven years.
The men’s track and field team won the national title in June. The gymnastics team won three straight (2013-15) while the softball program won the national title in 2014 and 2015.
In recent years, Foley also helped oversee major facilities upgrades, too.
UF is wrapping up around $100 million in projects, including a $65 million renovation of the O’Connell Center and about to begin another round of upgrades in football, baseball and softball.
Foley will not oversee the completion of these projects as athletics director, but his contract allows that he may serve as emeritus athletics director/senior advisory to the president for the next five years.
Foley is eager to be involved in fundraising for a school he has served for the past 40 years.
“That’s my goal,” he said recently. “I mean, again when a new person gets in the chair, if they want to do that themselves or don’t think I’m effective … we’ve had this conversation before. I’m going to do whatever I can to help the program move forward. I know a lot of people. I obviously have 40 years of history around here, but I’m going to take direction from somebody else. I just want to help.”