Michigan State is making a leadership change at the top of its athletic department, as sources confirm to Spartans Illustrated that it is moving on from Vice President/Athletic Director Alan Haller.
Haller's last day with Michigan State University is May 11.
Spartans Illustrated reported late on Wednesday night that big news was expected from Michigan State Athletics on Thursday.
Sources also tell Spartans Illustrated that MSU has an interim plan in place, as the school is expected to name Deputy Athletic Director/Senior Women's Administrator/Compliance Jennifer Smith and head men's basketball coach Tom Izzo as co-interim athletic directors during the search.
Michigan State President Kevin M. Guskiewicz also publicly confirmed the news on Thursday.
"I'm grateful for Alan's leadership since I joined the university and appreciate the success our programs have seen under his leadership," Guskiewicz said. "He is deeply committed to this university and has led with honesty and integrity.
"This is a pivotal time for college athletics, where innovation, effective communications and community engagement are more important than ever. Our next athletic director will lead one of the nation's more storied athletic programs, home to 23 varsity sports, a passionate fan base, a long legacy of academic and athletic excellence and, most importantly, an ambitious future."
Guskiewicz and Michigan State will now conduct a formal search to find a permanent replacement. MSU will use firm TurnkeyZRG, and an advisory committee will work alongside Guskiewicz and the firm throughout the process.
Haller originally joined Michigan State's athletic department in 2010, following a 13-year career with the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety. He was hired by Michigan State as the university's vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics on Sept. 1, 2021, replacing Bill Beekman. Haller was MSU's 20th athletic director in school history.
Haller began his time with MSU as associate athletic director. In 2015, he was promoted to senior associate athletic director. In 2017, Haller added the title of chief of staff as well. In 2019, Beekman promoted Haller to deputy athletic director.
Additionally, Haller is a Lansing native and Michigan State alumnus. He was a member of the MSU football team from 1988 through 1991 and was a four-year letterwinner as a cornerback for head coach George Perles. He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors as both a junior and senior. Haller was also a member of the Spartans' track and field team. He went on to play cornerback in the NFL for three seasons.
During Haller's tenure as Michigan State's athletic director, he hired current football head coach Jonathan Smith, hockey head Adam Nightingale, women's basketball head coach Robyn Fralick, men's tennis head coach Harry Jadun, volleyball head coach Kristen Kelsay and softball head coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley, among others.
Before becoming athletic director, Haller also was involved in the hiring of former football head coaches Mark Dantonio — who went on to become the winningest coach in Michigan State program history — and Mel Tucker, whom Haller fired for cause after sexual harassment allegations in 2023.
In 2024-2025, with the athletic department under Haller's tutelage, the Michigan State men's basketball team won a regular-season title, while the men’s ice hockey team secured both regular-season and Big Ten Tournament titles. The hockey squad became the first team in Big Ten Conference history to win regular-season and tournament hockey titles in consecutive seasons.
Under Haller's leadership during the 2023-2024 academic year, Michigan State collected six Big Ten championships across four sports, which tied the school record (2004-2005 and 2013-2014) for most conference titles in a single year. Those championship-winning teams that year included women’s cross country, women’s soccer, women’s gymnastics and men’s ice hockey, with gymnastics and hockey winning both the regular-season and postseason titles. The cross country, soccer and gymnastics teams also won Big Ten championships during the 2022-2023 season, while five Spartans and one MSU relay team won Big Ten championships that year.
The championships for soccer and gymnastics in 2022-2023 were the first official Big Ten championships in those programs’ history. Meanwhile, the 2023-2024 hockey team's dual championships marked the Spartans’ first ever Big Ten title (since conference play began in 2013-2014), first conference title since 2001 and first postseason conference crown since 2006. In 2023, the MSU women’s cross country team claimed its fourth Big Ten championship in a five-year span.
Also during the 2023-2024 campaign, nine MSU programs qualified as a team for the NCAA Championships, marking the most in the department since 2011-2012. Individual competitors qualified in four additional sports.
Michigan State's student-athletes were also strong in the classroom during Haller's tenure, as Spartan athletes posted the highest cumulative grade point average (GPA) in athletic department history in 2024 at 3.4324. MSU also boasted a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 91% in 2024, which was just one percentage point below the school’s all-time high of 92%, and it also marked the fifth consecutive year of a 90% GSR or better.
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