The University of Minnesota agreed to pay Syracuse University $500,000 for the buyout of Director of Athletics Mark Coyle’s contract, per multiple reports.

Coyle spent 11 months as Syracuse’s athletic director and took the same position at Minnesota on Wednesday. U of M announced on Wednesday that he would make $850,000 annually over the next five years. Minnesota’s last two athletic directors, Joel Maturi and Norwood Teague, had starting salaries of $345,000 per year and $422,000 per year, respectively.

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MORE COVERAGE:

• 3 things we learned from Mark Coyle’s introductory press conference at Minnesota
• Syracuse Athletics emails season-ticket holders following Mark Coyle’s departure
• Poll: Are you understanding of Mark Coyle’s rationale for leaving Syracuse?
• Jim Boeheim and Dino Babers surprised by departure of athletic director Mark Coyle
• Insight on Mark Coyle’s decision to leave Syracuse from former Minnesota director of athletics

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Coyle’s departure came as a surprise to SU men’s basketball head coach Jim Boeheim and football head coach Dino Babers, as well as many in the Syracuse community. SU has not yet named an interim director of athletics.

The Iowa native said on Wednesday that Minnesota was the only school he’d leave SU for. He spent 2001-2005 working in the Gophers’ athletic department and got emotional while discussing his connection with the school.

“I can’t tell you how excited we are to be back close to our family,” Coyle said at his introductory press conference, “and have a chance to do something I love, close to my family.”

Published on May 11, 2016 at 9:11 pm

Contact Paul: pmschwed@syr.edu | @pschweds