From Alabama A&M Athletic Communication

Bryan Hicks has been named the next athletic director at Alabama A&M University.  He succeeds Betty Austin who retired at the end of February.

Hicks previously served as Missouri State's associate athletics director for student development.Hicks

Prior to his arrival in Springfield in August 2009, Hicks spent 12 years at the University of Louisville and five as assistant athletic director for academics, overseeing the academic responsibilities for the Cardinal football team and stadium computer lab.

The Huntsville, Ala., native also served on the University's Commission on Diversity and Racial Equality, the Directors Council for University Wide Advising and coordinated U of L's Student-Athletes of Color Combining Opportunity and Responsibility for Excellence.

A college basketball and baseball standout at Tuskegee University, he received his bachelors degree in marketing from Alabama A&M in 1992 and earned his master's degree in public administration (MPA) from Portland State in 1996.

He had served as a compliance coordinator, associate director for academic services, and an academic advisor prior to taking on his role at Louisville in 2003. He also has coaching and multicultural admissions experience at Warner Pacific College in Portland, Ore.

"This is a fine institution and it needs someone who is willing to work hard, is committed to excellence and believes in the values in the institution as a whole," he said. "I'm a product of this environment. I've done some homework so I understand what's at hand.

"I feel like this is an opportunity to give back. This is an opportunity I did not want to pass up said Hicks."

"It's been exciting," he mentioned. "Rarely do you get the opportunity to come to a position, to come to a university that you know, a community that you know and live out your dream.

He and his wife, Kellie, are the parents of three children, Hailey, Sydney and Garrett.