Penn State names Joyner acting AD

University Park, PA – Penn State has named David Joyner, a member of the school's Board of Trustees, acting athletic director.

He replaces Mark Sherburne, who was serving as interim athletic director after Tim Curley stepped down as a result of charges filed against him in the child sex-abuse case surrounding Jerry Sandusky.

Sherburne returns to his role as associate athletic director, while Joyner will suspend his membership on the board in order to take on the new role.

Joyner wrestled and played football at Penn State and earned two degrees from the school -- a bachelor's degree in science in 1972, and an M.D. from the College of Medicine in 1976.

In addition to being a trustee, he has held numerous positions on Penn State- related boards, and is currently a member of the board of directors of The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Professionally, Joyner is a health care and business consultant as well as an orthopedic physician. He has an extensive background in athletics with a sports medicine emphasis.

He was head physician to the United States' teams at the 1992 Olympic Winter Games, the 1991 World University Games and the 1989 United States Olympic Festival. Joyner was also chairman of the U.S. Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Society, and held a number of other positions with the U.S. Olympic Committee.

"Dave Joyner has served the board with integrity, and he is internationally known for his work with the U.S. Olympic Committee. I am confident that he will bring that same integrity to his new role," said Rodney Erickson, who became Penn State president last week when then-president Graham Spanier and head football coach Joe Paterno were fired.

Erickson and Joyner have the task of restoring credibility to Penn State's athletic department.

Earlier this month, Sandusky was charged with 40 counts of various sexual crimes against children, and numerous high-ranking officials at the school have lost their jobs after taking little action when made aware of his alleged actions.

According to grand jury testimony, assistant football coach Mike McQueary said he witnessed Sandusky raping a young boy in the showers at Penn State's football facility in 2002. McQueary reported it to Paterno, who informed Curley but apparently took no further steps.

Paterno has not been charged with a crime, but his knowledge of the alleged transgressions and his actions in the aftermath have come under scrutiny.

Curley and Gary Schultz, who oversaw the school's police department, were charged with perjury in the case and both stepped down from their positions. According to the attorney general's release, they took little action when confronted with Sandusky's alleged actions and lied about their knowledge of them.