Scott Stricklin
Hired on Nov. 1, 2016, it has not taken long for Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin to become acclimated to the University Athletic Association’s championship culture. Five national championships and 21 conference titles have already been added to the mantle during his tenure. The Sports Business Journal named Stricklin the 2020 Athletic Director of the Year at the Sports Business Award show on Sept. 30, 2020. It was his second such honor, receiving the 2015-16 Athletic Director of the Year Award from the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) while at Mississippi State.
Stricklin came to Florida with 29-plus years of experience in intercollegiate athletics, including six as athletic director at his alma mater, Mississippi State University.
The Jackson, Miss., native, who has spent 24-plus years in the Southeastern Conference, spearheaded over $140 million in facility improvements while leading MSU, as well as significant increases in booster club membership and donations and the highest-ever Learfield Director’s Cup finish in school history.
Stricklin has earned praise for his performance, earning the 2015-16 Athletic Director of the Year Award from the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which highlights the efforts of athletic directors at all levels.
Even prior to his graduation from MSU in 1992, Stricklin served as the media relations contact for the Bulldogs’ baseball team. After staying on at his alma mater for a year in a full-time capacity following graduation, Stricklin moved on to Auburn University, where he was named associate media relations director, a position he held from 1993-98.
He then moved on to Tulane to become an assistant athletic director and the primary media contact for the Green Wave’s football team before a four-year stint at Baylor from 1999-2003 as the Assistant AD for Communications and Marketing.
Stricklin then returned to the SEC, working at Associate AD for Media Relations at Kentucky from 2003- 08, overseeing day-to-day publicity of Wildcat basketball. He returned to MSU in 2008 as Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs. After two years in that position, he was named the Bulldogs’ AD following Greg Byrne’s departure to the University of Arizona.
Stricklin, 50, is married to the former Anne Howell, the youngest daughter of Basketball Hall of Fame member Bailey Howell. She was a three-time All-Lone Star Conference team member, both for athletics and academics, when she played tennis at Abilene Christian. The couple has two daughters, Abby and Sophie.
