In a move to steer its athletics department, Utah State University has appointed Sandy Barbour, the former Penn State AD, as the interim Director of Athletics, as the institution confirmed on Friday. With her entry into the position scheduled for July 21, Barbour is bringing to the table a resume loaded with Division I athletics experience. USU Interim President Alan Smith, while speaking about the hire, emphasized that "Barbour, and the team at Huron, bring extensive experience and expertise in championship-level Division I athletics, including NIL, operations, finance, recruiting, facilities management and marketing," as reported by KSL Sports.
Smith also announced the launch of an ad hoc advisory group comprising both internal and external stakeholders of Utah State Athletics, which Barbour will co-chair alongside Aggie Alumnus Doug Fiefia. "It is typical for interim presidents to defer major leadership hires, but given the importance of this moment, maintaining our momentum is critical," Smith added, according to Deseret News. He expressed the necessity to "press forward to be competitively prepared for our first season in the Pac-12, continue to modernize operations, and strengthen our financial model."
Utah State's history with athletics directors has been a revolving door in recent years, making Barbour the third individual to lead in a span of just as many years. With her prior eight-year tenure at Penn State concluding in 2022, the seasoned executive has a background with several reputable institutions, including Cal, Notre Dame, Tulane, and Northwestern, before her time in Happy Valley, as detailed by The Salt Lake Tribune.
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