STARKVILLE — Starkville High School athletic director Greg Owen is moving across the street to become the newest athletic director at Starkville Academy, the school confirmed to The Dispatch Wednesday afternoon.
Owen’s tenure with the Yellow Jackets, which began in 2020, will end June 30. The Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District approved his retirement at a May 16 board meeting.
Owen will assume his new role at SA July 1 with a sole focus on athletics, ending his 28-year public-school career.
“It started off with having conversations just about what it takes to implement an athletic director only leading the program,” Owen said. “That developed a relationship there. Ultimately, it came down to an opportunity to be able to do that again in a new setting, taking what I had from other districts and establishing a culture of excellence.”
In the wake of Owen’s departure, SOCSD Superintendent Tony McGee will oversee the SHS athletic department in an interim role as the district is pausing the search for a new AD.
McGee said he plans to keep the role indefinitely until the search for a permanent AD resumes.
“We’re currently holding off on a search for an athletic director,” McGee said. “I’m just serving in that role right now as we try to get some key pieces in athletics put together. It gives me a chance to spend a little more time without coaches, learn our coaches and give them a chance to learn about me a bit more.”
Owen will take over for Chase Nicholson, who will continue his duties as the Volunteers head football coach and history teacher at SA.
“Athletics are on the uphill,” Nicholson said. “We haven’t peaked. For us to continue to go up, there’s no way I can continue to try to be an AD, be a football coach and be a classroom teacher. I believe I’ve taken us as far as I can go. … Greg coming in is just going to continue to make that better. He’s going to bring in knowledge I don’t have, experience I don’t have.”
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