A familiar face is returning to Alabama athletics.
Shane Lyons has rejoined the Crimson Tide to serve as deputy athletics director and chief operating officer, UA announced Monday. Lyons had been West Virginia’s athletics director for almost eight years before Mountaineers parted ways with him earlier this month.
Lyons worked for Alabama from 2011-15 as deputy AD. He replaces J Batt, who left earlier this fall to become Georgia Tech’s AD.
“Shane is a well-respected administrator in college athletics who brings a variety of experiences and wealth of knowledge to Alabama,” UA AD Greg Byrne said in a statement. “We are thrilled to have Shane back in Tuscaloosa to join our executive leadership team.”
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In his previous tenure with the Crimson Tide, Lyons managed day-to-day operations and oversaw the budget. According to the release from UA, Lyons “played a pivotal role in a historic renegotiation of Alabama’s multimedia rights agreement that started in 2014 and was involved in the hiring of head coaches and several significant capital projects totaling more than $85 million.”
Prior to his time with the Crimson Tide, Lyons served as ACC associate commissioner of compliance and governance from 2001-2011. Before that stop at the conference level, Lyons worked as Texas Tech’s associate AD for compliance from 1998-01. His other career stops include almost a decade with the NCAA as senior membership services representative and the Big South Conference, where Lyons worked as assistant commissioner for compliance and championships from 1988-89.
He’s a native of Parkersburg, West Virginia. He got both his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from WVU.
“I want to thank Greg Byrne for this tremendous opportunity to return to The University of Alabama,” Lyons said in a statement. “I have great respect for Greg and Alabama Athletics, and I am looking forward to returning to Tuscaloosa. My previous time at Alabama provided me with great opportunities, and I am eager to join Greg’s team and help the Crimson Tide continue to have one of the best and most successful departments in the nation.”