Malcolm Turner resigns

After barely a year on the job, Vanderbilt athletic director Malcolm Turner has resigned.

The university sent out a press release earlier in the day naming Candice Story Lee as the new interim Vanderbilt athletic director on Tuesday.

“Candice embodies the Vanderbilt Way, which is our commitment to ensuring that student-athletes excel on the field of play, academically and in life,” interim chancellor Susan Wente said. “Candice is a trailblazer. Her unparalleled work ethic, energy and vision, and steadfast commitment to the Commodore family, will only build on our momentum.”

Rumors have swirled for weeks over unhappiness between Turner and Vanderbilt. The source of much discontent was Turner's spending.

Ex-athletic director David Williams left behind a "rainy day" fund that sources estimated at $17 million. Turner blew through that in less than a year on the job.

A source familiar with the inner workings inside Vanderbilt athletics, weeks ago, said that there had been a spending freeze and that the department was running "deficits on top of deficits on top of deficits."

Turner was a no-show for the 1993 Vanderbilt basketball reunion this weekend, and also for the baseball banquet at the Omni Hotel that evening. Turner left on Thursday and his absence came as a surprise to those inside the department.

Turner took over Feb. 1 last year. He'd never been an AD and previously, had been president at the NBA G League.