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A tearful Bill Rowe spoke to the local media in Hammons Student Center this morning.

He says the hardest thing will be saying goodbye to all the people he's gotten to know over the years.

"When I see players, coaches, those are just deep-seeded thoughts and you can't get away from it. I don't want to. When you've had somebody for four years and you've been around them for many, many years afterward, it's just like other family members, and that's really what they are"

As the athletic director, Rowe has overseen many teams of various sizes and records.

MSU swim coach Jack Steck has known Rowe since before he became the director and says the man has shown exceptional fairness.

"Every program that's been under him is an important program. He plays no favorites or anything, just a genuine, great human being"

Rowe has been involved with Missouri State athletics for almost 50 years.

He graduated from the university in 1961 and then served 19 years as the head baseball coach, athletics business manager and assistant athletics director before being promoted in 1982.

Looking forward, he plans to continue his involvement with MSU in some capacity.

For KSMU news, I'm Benjamin Fry.

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