(Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect an official announcement from Texas A&M.)

One month ago, Texas A&M lost its athletic director to a fellow SEC West rival. Now the Aggies are doing the same thing to fill the vacancy.

Mississippi athletic director Ross Bjork has been named to the same position at A&M, the university confirmed after The News reported it Thursday evening.

Bjork fills the position previously held by Scott Woodward, who held the job for three years before leaving for the same role at LSU.

In a statement released Thursday night, Bjork said admired A&M's Kyle Field, history and traditions from afar before accepting the job.

"I will always aspire to live up to the core values that the university holds dear, and to compete for and win championships," Bjork said.

The 46-year-old Kansas native has been at Mississippi for the last seven years. When he was hired in 2012, he was the youngest athletic director at any "Power Five" school in the country. Before that, he spent two years as Western Kentucky's athletic director.

Under Bjork, the Rebels' athletic department experienced various high and low points. In 2014 and 2015, the football team was ranked as high as No. 3 in the Associated Press poll.

But several victories during that span were vacated as part of the NCAA sanctions stemming from major violations regarding a lack of institutional control and an "unconstrained culture of booster involvement in football recruiting."

Penalties included a postseason ban for 2018, recruiting restrictions and vacated wins. Then-coach Hugh Freeze was originally retained before he was dismissed after phone records revealed calls to an escort service.

After the NCAA delivered its punishment in 2017, Mississippi chancellor Jeffrey Vitter said he had the "highest regard" for Bjork's handling of the situation.

"He is a great athletics director," Vitter said in Dec. 2017. "Everyone who has been responsible for NCAA violations has either severed from the university or has been held accountable."

The university will formally introduce its new hire at an event on June 3, according to the news release issued Thursday. According to the university, he will begin working at A&M on July 8. R.C. Slocum will continue holding the position in an interim capacity until then.

The search for Woodward's replacement was spearheaded by A&M president Michael Young and football coach Jimbo Fisher, according to a source familiar with the situation. In a statement, Young said he was "thrilled" to welcome Bjork to College Station.

"His outstanding reputation as a leader will be vital to the continued trajectory of our athletics program," Young said.

From the outset, the Aggies were intent on finding a high-profile replacement for Woodward, who hired Fisher and new men's basketball coach Buzz Williams. The Aggies pursued Clemson's Dan Radakovich and Oregon's Rob Mullens. Radakovich was given a contract extension while Mullens opted to stay at the Pac-12 program.

Even after Freeze's departure, Mississippi continued to experience sustained success as an athletic department. In 2018, the Rebels had their highest finish in Learfield's Director's Cup, which is awarded to the highest-achieving athletic department in the country.

Bjork also has a lot of experience working with clients of agent Jimmy Sexton, who handles A&M's Fisher. Freeze and current Mississippi coach Matt Luke were both represented by Sexton.

In 2017, Fisher agreed to a 10-year, guaranteed deal worth $75 million in base salary. In his first season, Fisher led the Aggies to a No. 16 finish in the final Associated Press poll and their first nine-win campaign in six years.

CORRECTION, 8:40 a.m., May 24: An earlier version of the story said Bjork will begin working on June 8. The date is actually July 8.