Barbour named new AD of Penn State

Jul 26, 2014 - 7:36 PM University Park, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Penn State named Sandy Barbour its new athletic director on Saturday.

Barbour replaces Dave Joyner, who announced in June his intention to retire on Aug. 1. Joyner, however, will assist Barbour with the transition beyond that date.

Barbour has spent many years in leadership positions within athletic departments at several major institutions, most recently as the athletic director at the University of California.

"Sandy is an excellent fit for Penn State and the Big Ten," Penn State president Eric Barron said. "She stood out among a highly qualified pool of candidates. I am excited by her energy, her experience and her knowledge of intercollegiate athletics. I look forward to working with her to further strengthen Penn State's rich athletics tradition and student-athlete success."

Barbour's journey began as a field hockey assistant coach and lacrosse administrative assistant at the University of Massachusetts in 1981. She then became the assistant athletic director at Northwestern before being named associate athletic director at Tulane University in 1991. Barbour was then appointed director of athletics at Tulane in 1996 and followed that by taking the role ofsenior associate athletic director and deputy director of athletics at the University of Notre Dame.

"I am incredibly excited to be coming to Penn State," Barbour said. "I am drawn to this great University by two things: its persuit of excellence in all endeavors, and its sense of family in every aspect of the Nittany Lion community. I'm as competitive as they come, and I know I'm joining a community that wants and expects to win big, all while maintaining a snse of tradition, integrity and ethics. I'm all in!"

Barbour will begin her tenure at State College on Aug. 18, overseeing 31 varsity sports with over 800 student athletes.