Jon Gilbert was officially announced as the Director of Athletics at the University of Southern Mississippi on Tuesday.
Gilbert brings with him an outstanding resume of experience, most notably from the Southeastern Conference.
He comes to Southern Miss by way of the University of Tennessee, where he served as executive senior associate athletic director, beginning in 2011. Prior to his stint in Knoxville, Gilbert served as the associate athletic director for external operations at the University of Alabama.
On top of his time working for athletic departments in Tuscaloosa and Knoxville, Gilbert was also previously an assistant director of enforcement for the NCAA, the governing body of major college athletics.
He fills the vacancy left behind by former athletics director Bill McGillis, who recently resigned and took the same position at the University of San Diego.
“Clearly Jon Gilbert’s credentials allow him to be a viable candidate for any athletic director position,” President of the University of Southern Mississippi Rodney Bennett said at a press conference. “I could not be more excited for the future of Southern Miss athletics under Jon Gilbert. Jon Gilbert is the right person at the right time for our athletic program.”
Southern Miss currently has 15 varsity men’s and women’s sports teams, and operates with an athletic budget of around $25,000,000 annually.
