University of Missouri Athletic Director Stepping Down

The University of Missouri has called a news conference for Friday to announce Athletic Director Mike Alden's plans to step down from the position effective August 31, 2015.

In a letter written by Alden and posted on the Mizzou athletic website Alden said he plans to become an instructor for the University of Missouri College of Education.

Alden has served as the Mizzou Athletic Director for seventeen years and helped engineer the Tigers move to the SEC.

Below is the letter written by Alden:

I hope that the New Year has started off well for you and your family. We are excited about Mizzou Athletics in 2015. Your support and your passion drives our University and helps "Prepare Champions for Life".

After several months of contemplation, I have decided that it is time for a change, both for me and for the University that I so dearly love. I have informed Chancellor Loftin of my decision to step down as the Director of Athletics effective August 31, 2015. My wife, Rockie, our son, Jake, and I have had an incredible experience at Mizzou and this is simply our next step in our journey in Columbia. We are proud of what we have accomplished over the past seventeen years, which is a lifetime for an athletics administrator. I am most proud of our tremendous coaches, staff and student-athletes and how they represent our University with academic integrity, social responsibility and competitive excellence.

But my journey at Mizzou is not coming to a close. As one chapter ends, another one begins and I am excited that I will be a part of the College of Education as an instructor where I will participate in the Positive Coaching Program and higher education leadership courses.

In addition, the College of Education, in concert with other campus partners, will be launching a Center for Global Service Learning Leadership. The Center will harness the tremendous service interests of our students and faculty into leadership curriculum allowing us to take our campus to the next step in the development of our students and our positive impact on the world. I have worked for many years as a volunteer, organizer and advisor in this area and I am thrilled to make this passion now my work.

I look forward to continuing to work with all of you in the coming months and assisting with the transition. Great things lie ahead for Tiger Athletics and the University of Missouri. M-I-Z!

Mike Alden