Scott Stricklin is the 16th director of athletics in Mississippi State University history. Stricklin began his role on May 7, 2010 when he took over for Greg Byrne, who left to become the director of athletics at the University of Arizona. Stricklin graduated from Mississippi State in 1992, after working as a student assistant in the media relations office. He served three years as the baseball contact while an undergraduate, and was named assistant media relations director following his graduation. Following a year at his alma mater, Stricklin was named associate media relations director at Auburn, where he served as the baseball contact from 1993-1998. In 1998, he took over the top media relations post at Tulane and coordinated media for the 12-0 Green Wave football team that season. A four-year stint at Baylor as Assistant AD for Communications and Marketing followed, before Stricklin returned to the Southeastern Conference as the Associate AD for Media Relations at Kentucky. Stricklin returned to Mississippi State in 2008 as the Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs, overseeing fundraising efforts among many responsibilities.