Florida athletic head, Scott Stricklin, secures a three-year contract extension
Scott Stricklin Extends Tenure as Florida's Athletic Director
Scott Stricklin, the athletic director at the University of Florida, has signed a three-year extension that will keep him in his role through 2030. The extension comes after a successful tenure that has seen numerous achievements for the Gators' sports teams.
Stricklin joined Florida in November 2016, becoming the Gators' 14th athletic director in school history. Prior to his appointment, he had over 29 years of experience in intercollegiate athletics.
Before taking on the role at Florida, Stricklin served as the athletic director at Mississippi State University. Under his leadership, over $140 million was invested in facility improvements, and Mississippi State's student-athletes achieved a combined 3.0 GPA in 2014-15, a record high. Booster club membership and donations also increased substantially during his tenure.
In addition to his work in athletic administration, Stricklin has served on the college football Playoff Selection Committee for three years. He also worked as an assistant athletic director and the primary media contact for Tulane's football team, and had a four-year stint at Baylor from 1999-2003 as the Assistant AD for Communications and Marketing.
Stricklin's tenure at Florida has been marked by numerous successes. In 2020, he was named the athletic director of the year by the Sports Business Journal and agreed to an extension through 2027 with a 33% raise to $1.8 million annually. The following year, he hired coach Todd Golden, who led the Gators to their third national championship in men's basketball and the first under his leadership.
The Florida football program, under coach Billy Napier, has a record of 19-19 in three seasons but ended 2024 on a four-game winning streak, the longest current streak in the SEC. The athletic program at Florida has preliminary plans to undergo a $1 billion renovation project for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, better known as "the Swamp."
The No. 15 Gators are ranked in the preseason for the first time since 2021, and Stricklin's leadership continues to drive success for Florida's sports teams. Stricklin served as the Associate AD for Media Relations at Kentucky from 2003-2008, overseeing day-to-day publicity of Wildcat basketball, and he also served as the associate media relations director at Auburn University from 1993-1998.
Stricklin's predecessor as Athletic Director at the University of Florida was Jeremy Foley, who served until November 2016. According to Florida's staff directory, Stricklin succeeded Foley, who served as Florida's athletic director for 25 years. Under Stricklin's leadership, Florida has won 13 national titles and 45 conference crowns.
With Stricklin's extension, he will continue to lead Florida's athletic program through 2030, ensuring that the Gators remain a force to be reckoned with in the world of college sports.
