Joe Alleva is out as LSU's athletic director after 11 years

The university announced Wednesday afternoon that its longtime vice chancellor and director of athletics would be stepping down to transition to a new role as special assistant to the president for donor relations.

"The eleven years Annie and I have been here in Baton Rouge have been some of the best in our lives," Alleva said, according to the release. "We have made lifelong friends and memories in Louisiana. This is truly a special place. It's been an honor to serve LSU, and I am proud to continue to do that in a new role."

Alleva will continue to serve in his current role until his successor is named.

"We are grateful to Joe for his years of service and dedication to LSU," President F. King Alexander said via the release. "Under his leadership, LSU Athletics has become even more nationally competitive and our student-athletes have reached new levels of academic achievement."

The department has seen its share of highs, as well as lows and criticism, during Alleva's time in Baton Rouge, including most notably the backlash for his handlings of former football coach Les Miles' near-firing, the failed courtships of potential replacements Jimbo Fisher and Tom Herman and, most recently, of coach Will Wade's status leading the men's basketball program.

Alleva and Alexander announced March 8 the indefinite suspension of Wade amid swirling allegations tied to the FBI's investigation of NCAA recruiting violations involving Christian Dawkins, Merl Code and James Gatto.

The university reinstated Wade this past Sunday after a five-week hiatus that included the Tigers' season-ending loss to Michigan State in the Sweet 16.

But questions regarding the direction of the department — and particularly Alleva's future — continued to intensify.

LSU claimed 18 total conference championships during Alleva's tenure, 124 conference championships and 48 individual national championships in men's and women's track and field, gymnastics and men's and women's golf.

The baseball program won a national championship in 2009, albeit under previously hired coach Paul Mainieri.

No. 4-ranked LSU Gymnastics travels to Fort Worth this week to compete in the new-look national championship meet.

Softball coach Beth Torina, an Alleva hire, has re-established the Tigers as a perennial World Series contender.

Men's basketball produced its best season in more than a decade this year despite the off-court question marks.

And the football team finished 10-3 this past season — with a dominant PlayStation Fiesta Bowl defeat of previously undefeated No. 8 Central Florida — under second-year coach Ed Orgeron.