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Kyle Moats is on board at least through May 2026 under the agreement.
Provided by Missouri State University
Kyle Moats is on board at least through May 2026 under the agreement.

MSU athletics director gets contract extension

Posted online

The Missouri State University Board of Governors late last week approved a four-year contract extension for Kyle Moats, the school's director of athletics.

Moats, who has led athletics at the university since 2009, will now be on board through May 31, 2026, with the board vote, according to a news release.

“He was one of the few Division I athletic directors without a multiyear contract. We felt it was important to remedy the situation,” MSU President Clif Smart said in the release. "His most recent successful hires in football and men’s and women’s basketball have transformed the athletic reputation at MSU."

Beth Cunningham recently was hired as head coach for the Lady Bears basketball team after the exit of Amaka Agugua-Hamilton. Bobby Petrino was hired as head football coach in 2020, and Dana Ford was appointed as head coach of the MSU men's basketball team in 2018, according to past reporting.

Moats’ new contract starts with a base salary of $185,000 for the first year, with pay subject to annual merit-based increases and across-the-board hikes by the university.

The agreement also includes achievement payments for Moats. He'll be paid:
• $2,500 if all university teams’ NCAA calculated academic progress rates meet or exceed expectations;
• $2,000 for each championship or co-championship in the Missouri Valley Conference for the men’s or women’s basketball teams, the football team, the indoor volleyball team or the men’s soccer team, as well as $1,000 for other teams; and
• $2,000 if the men’s or women’s basketball team is invited to appear in the NCAA Tournament.

“I'm incredibly thankful to be a part of the university’s administrative team, as I take great pride in serving as director of athletics at Missouri State," Moats said in the release. "It is a privilege to represent our coaches, student-athletes and staff."

During his tenure, Moats has hired 16 head coaches, led facility upgrades to the tune of nearly $22 million and overseen MSU's capture of the Missouri Valley Conference All-Sports Trophy in 2011 and 2018, among other successes, according to the release.

During the MSU board's May 19 meeting, Brad Bodenhausen also got the nod to be promoted to vice president for community and global partnerships, Smart said via email.

Bodenhausen, who currently serves as MSU's associate vice president for international education and training, will succeed the retiring Jim Baker on July 1.

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