KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Nearly five years after arriving at the University of Missouri, Athletic Director Jim Sterk “will step down from his position once a new leader is found,” according to a release Monday from the school.
Sterk and Mizzou “mutually agreed” to part ways.
“We are grateful for the dedicated leadership Jim has provided over the last five years to position Mizzou for even greater success,” MU President Mun Choi said in a statement. “We recognize his many contributions and appreciate his continued role as we search for the next leader of Mizzou Athletics.”
Sterk helped transform the Tigers’ football facilities, including oversight of the $98 million South End Zone Facility and fundraising for a new $34 million indoor practice facility.
The stadium addition opened in 2019, while ground is scheduled to be broken this fall on the practice facility, which will be built southwest of Memorial Stadium.
Mizzou also opened a new $17.5-million softball stadium during Sterk’s tenure.
During his first year as AD, Sterk hired Cuonzo Martin as the Tigers’ new basketball coach and brought in Eliah Drinkwitz to replace Barry Odom as MU’s football coach in December 2019.
Martin’s hiring reinvigorated the men’s basketball program, which had fallen on hard times under Kim Anderson.
Fueled by the arrival of the nation’s No. 1 recruit, Michael Porter Jr., the Tigers sold out Mizzou Arena for the 2017-18 season.
That same year the football team played in a bowl game and both the men’s and women’s basketball team were selected for the NCAA Tournament, a trio of accomplishments that hadn’t happened in the same academic year since 1981-82.
The Tigers are 66-56 with two NCAA Tournament appearances in Martin's four seasons.
Drinkwitz went 5-5, cracking the top 25 in the College Football Playoff rankings in his debut season in Columbia. He backed up that success, which included a stunning upset against then-reigning national champion LSU, with a top-20 recruiting class, according to Rivals' 2021 team ranking.
“I am grateful for the hard work of our amazing staff, coaches and student-athletes, as well as the generous support of our alumni and friends during my tenure as athletics director,” Sterk said in a statement. “I believe that Mizzou Athletics is well positioned for future success, and I wish our coaches and student-athletes well in their continued quest for academic and athletic excellence. MIZ.”
Under Sterk’s leadership, the Tiger Scholarship Fund raked in a record-setting $55.5 million in donations during 2020-21. The old record of $50.4 million was set during Sterk’s first season at MU.
He joined the Tigers after six seasons as the AD at San Diego State University and 10 at Washington State University.
Sterk denied reports in February 2021 that he was a candidate to become the University of Central Florida’s AD.
The Knights hired Terry Mohajir as their new athletic director shortly after Sterk’s pronouncement.
Choi promised a national search to identify and hire “a visionary athletics director who will develop a strategic plan” to ensure Mizzou’s success in the SEC as well as “to navigate a bold path in the rapidly evolving world of collegiate athletics.”
