Air Force AD Nathan Pine departs after seven years

Air Force announced Friday night that Nathan Pine is out as athletic director. The school said the Department of the Air Force informed the Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation that Pine's service in that role was "no longer accepted," with no further explanation provided.

Sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel that Pine was pushed out at the urging of outgoing superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind. Pine remains under contract as an employee of the AFAAC, with his deal scheduled to run through 2028 after receiving an extension in 2023. Nancy Hixson will step in as interim athletic director.

Pine had been at Air Force since 2019. In March, he announced the hiring of men's basketball coach Joe Crispin, who inherited the program from Joe Scott after Scott and the Falcons mutually parted ways earlier this year following his suspension amid an investigation into his treatment of cadets.