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USC He will have a new athletic director as he transitions to the Big Ten.
Mike Boone resigned Friday from his position as athletic director, university president Carol Wohlt announced. Bohn oversaw USC’s decision to leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten and hire Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma as the head football coach during his four years at USC. He is also credited with modernizing the USC athletics department as a whole.
According to the Los Angeles TimesBoone’s resignation comes amid a review of the school’s athletic department, including “criticisms of L [Bohn’s] By the Times, four current and former USC employees said employees within the athletics department had raised concerns about Boone “to the outside law firm overseeing the review, particularly about comments he made to women working in the department.
From the Times report:
Boone made inappropriate comments about female colleagues’ physical appearance, including remarks about their dress, hair and weight that employees said made them feel uncomfortable, according to two USC sources with knowledge of the incidents. They spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. They said Boone’s comments left colleagues — especially the women — embarrassed.
Three USC sources said several people confronted Boone about comments they felt were inappropriate, but they persisted.
Boone, 62, cited health reasons and his desire to spend time with his family in a statement to The Times. His resignation is effective immediately.
“I have been fortunate to have had so many wonderful opportunities and met so many amazing people, and I leave to wish the best for all those I have worked with and served. Moving forward, it is now important for me to focus on being with my dear family, facing ongoing health challenges and reflecting on how I can be.” influential in the future.” Boone said.
Bohn arrived at the University of Southern California from Cincinnati in November 2019 and was tasked with fixing a stuttering athletic department and reinvigorating the strugglers USC football program. He initially retained Clay Hilton as head coach before firing him early in the 2021 season, opening the door to a head start on a coaching search that ultimately resulted in Riley in a major coup.
Later, Bohn played a key role in USC’s transition from the Pac-12 and joining the Big Ten. USC will play one more season in the Pac-12 before officially becoming a Big Ten member prior to the 2024 season. With Boone’s resignation, the school’s incoming athletic director will be responsible for overseeing the transition of the conference.
“After more than 40 years of leadership in college athletics, it’s an opportune time to step away from my position as Director of Athletics at USC,” Boone said. “I have dedicated my life to serving student-athletes and advancing the intercollegiate athletics project. I will always be proud to have led the program out of the most turbulent times in the history of the profession and at USC with a restored reputation and outstanding national accomplishments. I led the Big Ten conference admissions process, hired two head coaches, It achieved the highest graduation rate in the school’s history and won numerous national and conference championships.”
In a letter to the university community, Volt said a “thorough review” of the athletic department had been undertaken, including consideration of its “operations, culture, and strategy.” Folt will form a “transition team” while the school begins a national search for Bohn’s replacement.
“Over the past four years, USC’s athletics department has transformed into a national powerhouse. In our unique pursuit of excellence, I am committed to ensuring that we have the right leadership in the right place to achieve our goals,” said Wohlt. “As part of that commitment and as we prepare for the transition to the Big Ten, we have conducted a comprehensive review of our athletics division, including its operations, culture, and strategy. Having built a strong foundation over the past few years, now is the time for a new direction based on our values and the expertise needed to achieve our vision. Ambitious Trojan Athletics.”
Prior to his time at USC, Boone served as athletic director at Cincinnati, ColoradoAnd San Diego State And Idaho.
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