Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse athletic director Mark Coyle stunned members of the Syracuse athletic department by leaving the school after less than a year in charge.

SU's Senior Vice President for Public Affairs Kevin Quinn announced Coyle's departure in a brief statement.

"Mark Coyle has informed the university that for family reasons he is leaving the university for a position at Minnesota," Quinn said. "We wish him well."

The University of Minnesota later announced and introduced Coyle as its new athletic director, filling a position that had been vacant since August 2015, when Norwood Teague resigned as athletic director following a sexual harassment scandal.

The news blindsided high-profile coaches Dino Babers and Jim Boeheim.

Babers, who is currently in Amelia Island, Fla. for the ACC's spring meetings, appeared stunned at the news when approached by reporters.

"Are you serious?" Babers said to ESPN's Brett McMurphy. "No comment."



Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim called the departure "shocking."eps of its search." Minnesota did not officially announce that Coyle had been hired.

Coyle had previously served as associate athletic director for external relations at the University of Minnesota from 2001 to 2005. During his introductory press conference he teared up while discussing the important of the school to him and talked about a return to his family's base in the Midwest. Coyle also earned what is likely a significant raise, getting a five-year contract with a base salary of $850,000.

His rapid departure comes with Syracuse University's Board of Trustees set to meet this week to discuss the future of the Carrier Dome and with Babers, his choice to lead Syracuse football into the future, yet to coach his first game.

Coyle was hired after a three-month search following the departure of Daryl Gross, who spent more than a decade in charge of SU athletics. Gross oversaw dramatic improvement of SU's non-revenue teams and on-field success but left the position in the aftermath of an NCAA investigation into the basketball program and with the football team struggling.

Coyle seemed like a logical fit due to his time at Boise State, when he oversaw a strong football program and a university dealing with the fallout of an NCAA investigation.

The search committee that selected Coyle was led by Chancellor Kent Syverud and chaired by Steve Ballentine, a member of Syracuse's Board of Trustees. The university had also hired the search firm DHR International to help with the hire.

Pete Sala, the school's Vice President & Chief Facilities Officer, served as the interim between Gross and Coyle. Syracuse has not announced who will fill that role this time around.