ITTA BENA Miss.
Lonza Hardy Jr., athletics director at Mississippi Valley State University for the past six years, has resigned to take a similar position at Hampton University in southeastern Virginia.
Hardy's resignation is effective June 30 although he has taken official leave immediately, MVSU president Lester C. Newman said Tuesday.
"This is a great step up for Lonza. This is a great opportunity for him. We wish him well," Newman said in a statement issued by the school.
Newman said assistant athletics director Donald Ray Sims will be interim athletics director at Valley.
Hardy is a North Carolina native and graduate of the University of North Carolina.
Hardy was named athletics director at Mississippi Valley State on April 16, 2001. Before taking the job at Valley, Hardy was associate commissioner for the Southwestern Athletic Conference (1989-2001). He also held sports information director positions at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. (1986-89), Alcorn State University in Lorman (1980-86) and Albany State College in Albany, Ga. (1978-80).
--Associated Press
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