Just three years after stepping away from Penn State athletics, Sandy Barbour is returning to the college sports world – at least temporarily.
On Friday, Utah State announced that Barbour will serve as the school’s interim athletic director. She will officially step into the role on July 21.
The former Nittany Lions athletic director has served as a strategic advisor at the Huron Consulting Group since 2023. There, she helped advise the Aggies on the athletic department’s move from the Mountain West to the PAC-12, which will occur next July.
Barbour will also co-chair an advisory group tasked with finding Utah State’s next athletic director.
“Barbour, and the team at Huron, bring extensive experience and expertise in championship-level Division I athletics, including NIL, operations, finance, recruiting, facilities management and marketing.” said Utah State interim president Alan Smith “They will provide a valuable national perspective on the evolving college athletics landscape and our transition into the PAC-12, while also bringing stability to our athletics leadership team.”
Barbour led Penn State athletics from August 2014 until her retirement in July 2022. During her tenure, the Nittany Lions won six national championships: women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, and four in wrestling. The Blue and White also won 31 Big Ten titles during that time, including the football program’s most recent conference crown in 2016.
Previously serving in leadership roles at Cal, Notre Dame, Tulane, and Northwestern, Barbour was a prominent player on the national stage in college athletics. Upon her retirement, Barbour served as the chair of the NCAA’s Football Oversight Committee and represented the Big Ten on the NCAA Division I Council. She was named Sports Business Journal’s Athletic Director of the Year in 2022.
Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Part of the Full Ride network, we are an alumni-owned and operated, credentialed media outlet dedicated to providing you with updated and reliable insights for all your favorite Nittany Lion sports. Whether it’s Penn State football, basketball, wrestling, or anything in between, you can find it all on Basic Blues Nation!
Please follow us on our social channels — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube — and subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for the latest breaking news and notifications. For feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on social media.
