TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — President John Thrasher announced today he has appointed David Coburn athletics director at Florida State University effective immediately.

Coburn has held the post of interim athletics director since August 2018 when Thrasher appointed him to replace outgoing director Stan Wilcox.

In his nine months as interim head of Athletics, Coburn applied his almost 40 years of legislative and university experience to address challenging budget issues and streamline, reorganize and implement new policies to help the department operate more efficiently and effectively, Thrasher said.

“I am grateful to David Coburn for taking on this role permanently,” Thrasher said. “For years I have relied on his experience, integrity and good judgment, and the progress we have made under his leadership is already evident. I know the future of our championship Athletics program is as bright as ever and in good hands.”

“I very much appreciate the confidence the president and the Board of Trustees have placed in me,” Coburn said. “Over these past months, their support has been invaluable. I also have gained tremendous appreciation for the wonderful people in Athletics and the Seminole Boosters. They all care deeply about our university and have been working together to move us forward.”

Prior to being named interim director of Athletics, Coburn served as chief of staff to President Eric Barron and then Thrasher.

He is a triple graduate of Florida State having earned a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning and a Juris Doctorate from the FSU College of Law.