Milligan University President Dr. Stephen Waers announced in a Nov. 12 campus-wide email that a “leadership transition” had taken place in the athletics department.
“As of Nov. 11, Christian Pope has moved on from his role at Milligan,” the statement read. “We are grateful for his years of service to Milligan Athletics, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Pope did not respond to interview requests from The Stampede before publication. However, members of the swim team said Pope spoke to them before they left for their midseason meet. According to the swimmers, he told the team that his departure was not a mutual decision and that he disagreed with the wording of Waers’ email to the student body. Pope had been closely involved with the team this semester, working to find a new coach after both swim coaches left Milligan before the start of the fall term.
Pope became Milligan’s athletics director on Aug. 1, 2021, succeeding longtime administrator Mark Fox. He was in his fifth year in the role and was a two-time Appalachian Athletic Conference Athletic Director of the Year, receiving the award in 2022–23 and 2024–25.
Waers announced that Jeff Bourn, formerly the assistant women’s basketball coach, will serve as interim athletics director. He said the university plans to begin a search to permanently fill the position in the coming months.
In response to follow-up questions from The Stampede, Waers said the university would not discuss the circumstances of Pope’s departure.
“It is our policy to decline comment on specific personnel matters,” Waers said. “We can confirm that Christian Pope is no longer the Athletics Director at Milligan University.”
The Stampede also asked why Pope received a formal campus-wide announcement while other recent departures, such as that of Gabriel Logan—director of Student Success, Disability Services and the Goah Scholars Program—did not. Logan’s resignation was announced by Dean of Students Kit Dotson during a Goah meeting on Oct. 20.
Regarding the difference, Waers said, “It has been our custom to announce leadership transitions at the cabinet level through a campus-wide email. We have not typically done that for employees who were not members of the cabinet.”
Cover Photo: Pope at SCAD Savannah swim meet on Oct. 10 by River Rockholt
