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Scott Woodward is leaving Texas A & M to become LSU Tigers' new athletic director, sources at ESPN confirmed, after Joe Alleva announced Wednesday that he was retiring and that he was assuming a new role.
Alleva, who is LSU's athletic director since July 2008, will become the president's special assistant for donor relations, school announced Wednesday. The university said that Alleva would continue to serve as AD until a replacement was appointed.
It might not take too long, though. Sources told ESPN that Woodward, who had been AD for the Aggies since 2016, had agreed to replace Alleva.
"We thank Joe for his years of service and dedication to LSU," said LSU President F. King Alexander in a statement. "Under his leadership, the LSU Athletics has become even more competitive nationally and our student athletes have achieved new levels of academic achievement."
Woodward is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is a graduate of LSU. He was Director of External Affairs of the University from 2000 to 2004 before moving to the University of Washington where he was promoted to AD in 2008 and served until 2015. .
In Texas A & M, Woodward recruited Jimbo Fisher as a football coach in 2017, then Buzz Williams as a basketball coach this month.
TexAgs.com was the first to report that Woodward had agreed to an agreement with LSU.
The Tigers basketball program is part of the FBI's ongoing investigation into corruption in sport. Coach Will Wade was reinstated Sunday after being suspended late in the season following reports that he had been wiretapped and reportedly discussing a "fierce offer" for a recruit.
Many fans were unhappy with the suspension of Wade by Alleva and the LSU administration.
Sources told ESPN's Mark Schlabach that Wade's representatives had been informed that the coach would be summoned to appear in the basketball corruption trial to be held later this month in New York. Wade has denied any wrongdoing.
Alleva was also criticized for his management of Les Miles 'dismissal as head coach in 2016 as well as for his search for Miles' replacement, which led Ed Edger to become a full-time coach after spending almost all season 2016 interim head coach.
During Alleva's tenure, LSU won 18 titles from the Southeast Conference.
"The eleven years Annie and I live in Baton Rouge have been some of the best in our lives," Alleva said Wednesday in a statement. "We have made friends and memories for life in Louisiana – it's truly a special place – it has been an honor to serve LSU and I'm proud to continue doing so in a new role."
His contract, which earned him $ 725,000 a year, was due to expire on June 30, 2020.
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