EAST LANSING— After days of speculation and rumors, the wait is over.

On Wednesday morning, Michigan State officially named Alan Haller as the new Michigan State athletic director. Haller, who replaces Bill Beekman after his resignation on Aug. 5, was unanimously approved by the MSU Board of Trustees via an 8-0 vote. Haller’s stipulated contract is for five years.

“Alan is a remarkable leader and an accomplished and well-rounded administrator who has been instrumental in setting up MSU Athletics for continued success,” said Dianne Byrum, chairperson of the MSU Board of Trustees. “Our nationwide search led us back home to a leader who is steadfastly committed to the success of our institution and its student-athletes. I have full confidence that Alan will continue to move MSU Athletics forward with a vision that focuses on student success, competitive excellence and integrity in all that we do.”

He will serve as the 20th athletic director and will be tasked with overseeing each of the 25 MSU varsity sports in the areas of finance, game operations, communication and academics, as well as the overall well-being of the 700-plus athletes who participate in said sports.

Haller, who previously served as the deputy athletic director since 2019, oversaw event management, external relations with various organizations and business entities, facility management, budget management and larger-scale athletic projects in his former role.

“Being a student-athlete at Michigan State was a transformational experience in my life. My time as a member of the Spartan football and track and field teams laid the groundwork for everything that’s followed,” Haller said. “To this day, with every major decision and event, I rely on the principles that were forged as a student-athlete. It’s my job to make sure our current and future student-athletes experience the same transformation, reaching their highest potential both academically and athletically. The phrase ‘Spartan for Life’ signifies our commitment to our student-athletes does not end when they leave MSU.

He also recently served as the sports administrator for football and helped to organize and form outside and internal search committees that resulted in the hiring of MSU head coach Mel Tucker. Previously, Haller was named as an associate athletic director in 2010 and senior athletic director in 2015.

In 2006, Haller was a member of a search committee, along with Tom Izzo and former athletic directors Ron Mason and Mark Hollis, that decided to hire Mark Dantonio in November of that year.

An MSU alum and Lansing Sexton graduate, Haller was a four-year letterwinner from 1988-91 as an All-Big Ten cornerback under head coach George Perles. After a brief stint in the NFL in the early 1990’s with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers, he returned to East Lansing as a police officer for 13 years, eventually rising to the rank of first lieutenant.