Augustana University announced on Thursday that Bill Gross has been named interim director of athletics.

Gross succeeds Slade Larscheid, who announced his decision to step down from the role last week in order to spend more time with his family.

A stand-out basketball player at Augustana from 1969-73, Gross went on to serve as Augie’s head men’s basketball coach for nine seasons before being named Augustana’s director of athletics in 1986.

He went on to serve as director of athletics for the next 28 years, transforming Augustana’s athletic operations; ushering in national championships, as well as 40 conference championships; leading significant fundraising endeavors; and developing some of the University’s most significant facility projects.