Barely even a year ago, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey was in Oklahoma to celebrate the Sooners officially joining the conference. OU again hosted a press conference for another milestone this July for the retirement of athletic director Joe Castiglione, the man who orchestrated the Sooners' move from the Big 12 to SEC.
Castiglione on Tuesday officially announced his plans to step away from his full-time role as OU's athletic director. He will stick around as Emeritus Athletics Director before fully retiring on June 30, 2028, to help OU with the transition of new leadership.
"For more than three decades, Joe Castiglione has been a pillar of leadership in college athletics," Sankey wrote in a statement released by the SEC. "Personally, he is a friend and was an invaluable partner during Oklahoma's transition into the SEC. His steady hand, practical approach and thoughtful nature have long benefited not only the University of Oklahoma but also the broader landscape of college sports.
"I look forward to working with Joe during the year ahead, and with the leadership at the University of Oklahoma for many years to come."
SEC commissioner praises Joe Castiglione's leadership during Oklahoma transition
Getting OU into the SEC alongside Texas was one of the biggest moves Castiglione has made during his tenure leading OU athletics. He initially recommended to the OU Board of Regents that the school seek membership into the SEC in 2021. In 2024, the move was official. He had also discussed the idea of the Sooners leaving the Big 12 for the Big Ten.
The move shifted the entire landscape of college sports and prompted a flood of conference realignment that's still ongoing today. It also gave the SEC full control of college sports as the most powerful conference in the country with 16 strong members.
Entering his 28th year, Castiglione is currently the longest-tenured AD in major college sports. Those final two years will be spent leading an SEC school. He also started his career at Missouri, which also jumped from the Big 12 to the SEC long after Castiglione spent five years there.
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