Penn State has announced that athletic director Dave Joyner has decidied to retire from the position effective August 1.
Joyner released a statement in light of his announcement, but will stay on board at Penn State through 2015 in a non-athletic director role to assist with his pension.
"It has been an honor and privilege to serve Penn State," Joyner said in the statement. "Our student athletes, coaches, staff and the University community were a daily source of inspiration for me. The spirit of Penn State is strong, and the department's commitment to integrity, as well as academic and athletic excellence is stronger than ever.”
The move isn't a surprise to those following Penn State sports, as the school was expected to launch a full scale search for a new athletic director once president Rodney Erickson’s term was over. New president Eric J. Barron spoke about Joyner and how important he was to the Penn State legacy.
"Dave Joyner has provided steady leadership to Athletics for nearly three years," Barron said in the statement. "I want to thank him for his hard work in upholding Penn State's legacy of academic and athletic success.”
Penn State is expected to interview Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips and make him an offer that will be little over $1 million a year. Joyner was the Big 10’s lowest-paid athletic director with a salary of $396,000. Joyner was a member of the Penn State Board of Trustees and an orthopedic physician before becoming the athletic director and played for Penn State as an offensive tackle from 1969 to ’71.
[ESPN]
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