Alan Haller is as a sports director of Michigan State.
The Free Press reported for the first time and the university later confirmed that Haller was relieved of his duties, ending the tenure of the native of Lansing and former football player Spartan and the NFL after 3 and a half years.
“I’m grateful to Alan’s leadership since I joined the university and appreciates the success of our programs under his direction,” said President Kevin Mr. Guskiewicz in a statement. “He is deeply attached to this university and led with honesty and integrity.”
Haller’s last day will take place on May 11, and Guskiewicz said the university planned to start a new sports director in the coming weeks. Jen Smith, assistant sports director of MSU and senior female administrator / female compliance, and the male basketball coach Tom Izzo, will serve as a sports director co-it in the meantime, the school said in her press release.
“It is a pivotal moment for university athletics, where innovation, effective communications and community engagement are more important than ever,” said Guskiewicz. “Our next sports director will direct one of the country’s most legendary sports programs, which houses 23 university sports, a basis of passionate fans, a long heritage of academic and athletic excellence and, above all, an ambitious future.”
Haller did not immediately respond to comment.
Haller became the 20th Sports Director of MSU on September 1, 2021, replacing Bill Beekman. His five -year contract expired on September 1, 2026; Affairs negotiations are underway, according to a person knowing the situation.
Haller graduated from JW Sexton High in Lansing and played football for Spartans and coach George Perles from 1988 to 1991. He spent 13 years in the MSU police department from July 1997 after his retirement from football, possibly up with the Lieutenant, before joining the athletics department in July 2010.
Haller started as a associate sports director, then was promoted to Senior Associate Sports Director in 2015 and added the chief of staff in 2017. Beekman promoted him to his second commander as deputy sports director in 2019.
By becoming a sports director leaving the pandemic, Haller took over while university sports entered the era of the name, image and resemblance (Nile). The scale and scope of changes have radically reshaped the landscape and the roles of administrators and donors, and restructuring remains a continuous process which is found in the federal courts.
A key element of the job process for the last three MSU football coaches, Haller finally pulled Mel Tucker in 2023 and hired Jonathan Smith as a replacement. In recent months, Haller has also worked to help bring a new Olympic sports arena to school.
Haller obtained a diploma in criminal justice from MSU and his master’s degree in human resources in the center of Michigan. His only moment away from the great Lansing region came when he played in the NFL with Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Carolina from 1992 to 1995.
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.
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