Ross Bjork named Aggies’ new Director of Athletics; Bjork to begin at A&M July 8
COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M announced Thursday evening the hiring of Ole Miss AD Ross Bjork as the Aggies’ next Director of Athletics. Bjork will succeed Scott Woodward who left for the same position at LSU in April.
Ross Bjork announced as Texas A&M’s new Director of Athletics: https://t.co/FSNMjT6U1W #tamu #12thMan pic.twitter.com/mj4UpxNKdb
— Texas A&M University (@TAMU) May 24, 2019
The Dallas Morning News first reported the news that Bjork will be leaving for the same position in Aggieland.
Bjork to begin July 8 in Aggieland
A&M reports Bjork will be introduced June 3 after the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Florida. He will then begin work at A&M on July 8. Interim Athletic Director R.C. Slocum will remain in that position until Bjork’s arrival and will then return to his position as Special Assistant to the President.
“I am thrilled to welcome Ross Bjork to Aggieland,” said Texas A&M President Michael K. Young.
“His outstanding reputation as a leader will be vital to the continued trajectory of our athletics program. His appreciation for higher education is evident in achieving the highest GPA and graduation rates on record during his tenure at Ole Miss. We look forward to formally introducing Ross in the coming days and also to welcoming his wife, Sonya, and sons, Paxton and Payton, to one of the most hospitable communities on earth.“
A&M President Michael Young
Fisher pleased with hiring of Bjork
The Rebel Walk’s A&M sources tell us the Aggie administration has been committed to making an AD hire that head football coach Jimbo Fisher is in favor of–and reports are that Jimbo is extremely pleased with the hiring of Bjork.
Bjork, officially the Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics, has been at Ole Miss for the past seven years. He has overseen the expansion of numerous facilities, including the $94.5 million Pavilion at Ole Miss.
“We will forever cherish our time at Ole Miss and in Oxford,” Bjork said in a statement issued by Ole Miss Media Relations.
“I want to thank Dan Jones, Archie Manning and Mike Glenn for giving me the opportunity to be an Ole Miss Rebel in 2012. I am proud of the athletics accomplishments and the infrastructure improvements we were able to achieve during the last seven years, but I am most proud of our student-athletes. They always believed they could achieve greatness in the classroom, and now Ole Miss Athletics has the highest grade point average, graduation rates and APR scores in the history of the program. Despite some challenges along the way, Ole Miss is a great place, and I appreciate all of the support that every Chancellor has provided and especially my strong relationship with Larry Sparks. We have built lifelong friendships and will always revere our time as Rebels.”
Ross Bjork
In a statement released by A&M, Bjork said he is honored to be at A&M and looks forward to greeting the “…coaches, staff and the entire 12th Man.” Bjork went on to describe what makes A&M an ideal choice for him.
“I remember visits to Kyle Field even before its massive renovation, being enthralled with the whole environment. I love leadership lessons, especially in military history; The Corps of Cadets – the “Keepers of the Spirit” – are also a wonderful draw to the university. I will always aspire to live up to the core values that the university holds dear, and to compete for and win championships.”
Ross Bjork
It has been reported that Ole Miss interim Chancellor Larry Sparks will likely not name a permanent Athletics Director but will, instead, name an interim AD, thus allowing the new chancellor to make the AD hire.
Chancellor Sparks issued a statement Thursday evening on Bjork’s departure:
“Ross has been an outstanding leader of Ole Miss Athletics. Our programs and our university are stronger for his service to Rebel Nation. Under Ross’s direction, we won SEC and national championships and improved our athletics facilities significantly while, at the same time, our student-athletes have achieved unprecedented success in the classroom. I’ve enjoyed working with Ross a great deal, and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.”
Ole Miss interim Chancellor Larry Sparks on Bjork’s departure
Stay tuned for updates as we get them!
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn’s love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.
