STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern University has hired Mississippi State University's Jared Benko as Eagle Nation's new director of athletics. Benko will report directly to the University president, serve as a member of the President's Cabinet and oversee 17 NCAA Division I varsity athletics programs, 15 of which compete in the Sun Belt Conference. Benko will officially start on April 1.
Benko has more than a decade of progressive and respected leadership experience in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). For the past four years, he has served as the deputy director of athletics/chief financial officer at Mississippi State University assisting the director of athletics with strategic planning, personnel decisions, marketing and public relations initiatives while also supervising the day-to-day operations of the athletic department and serving as the sport administrator for the football program.