Michigan State AD Bill Beekman steps down, takes new role
Michigan State University announced Thursday that athletic director Bill Beekman would step down from the role and take a newly created position at the university, vice president for strategic initiatives.
A national search for the athletic department’s next leader is in the offing.
Beekman thanked the school’s administration for the opportunity in a statement.
“While we’ve experienced the most challenging 18 months in the history of college athletics, we’ve pushed forward on many fronts, laying the groundwork for the future,” his statement read. “Great things are ahead for Michigan State athletics. I’m also excited for this new role in the administrative team as the vice president for strategic initiatives, working with President (Samuel L.) Stanley to drive our great university forward.”
Beekman took on the AD position in February 2018 at the height of the Larry Nassar scandal. He replaced Mark Hollis, who resigned in the wake of Nassar’s conviction for sexually assaulting athletes during medical examinations.
He transitioned from interim AD to the full-time replacement despite having no prior experience in athletics administration at the time.
“Bill stepped in to help our athletic department during a time of turmoil and change, and we thank him for that,” said Stanley. “That department is in a better place now and ready to look for long-term leadership to propel us to a new, nationally leading level. With his skills and extensive institutional knowledge, I feel Bill is an ideal fit for this new strategic initiatives role.”
–Field Level Media
