LINCOLN — Fewer than three years into his stint as Nebraska athletic director, Trev Alberts is leaving his alma mater for the same job at Texas A&M.

NU, meanwhile, will hire its fourth A.D. in seven years.

Alberts informed his coaches and staff Wednesday in an afternoon email that indicated he was “very sorry” for the timing and the inability to make the announcement in person. In a statement released by Nebraska, Alberts reiterated his timing was “not ideal.”

NU is on spring break this week — so is A&M — and several coaches aren’t on campus, including football’s Matt Rhule, who is in Scotland. Baseball coach Will Bolt was with his team in Wichita. Men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg prepared to take his team to Minneapolis for the Big Ten tournament.

“I apologize in advance for any negative impact that it might have,” Alberts said of his departure. He also noted the school is “well positioned” to handle the “evolving changes” in college sports. “Tough decisions will need to be made and unity of vision and high execution will be necessary,” Alberts said, “but I am confident that leadership in Nebraska will rise to the occasion.”

Alberts didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment from The World-Herald.

‘We will not hit pause’

Interim University President Chris Kabourek said in a statement that he would name an interim A.D. “very soon” and will conduct a national search for Alberts’ replacement.

“We will not hit pause,” Kabourek said. “As I’ve said many times, I’ve never been more excited about the future of the University of Nebraska and the opportunities we have to work together toward our vision to compete at the highest levels in all facets.”

A&M’s courtship of Alberts began last week, according to a source aware of the process, when school officials reached out to Alberts, who flew to College Station last weekend for an interview instead of attending the women’s Big Ten tournament in Minneapolis, where made the championship game.

By Wednesday morning, the Houston Chronicle, followed by national outlets, reported Alberts was going to A&M. After seven hours of speculation, Alberts sent the email and the Aggies made his hiring official, with Alberts briefly mentioning his time at NU in the A&M press release.

“I truly want to express my gratitude to the University of Nebraska — the school and its fans have been and always will be immensely important to me,” said Alberts, who also spent 12 years as UNO’s athletic director. “Nebraska changed my life, and I’m thankful for the incredible 15 years I spent here.”

Texas A&M is an SEC program known for Kyle Field, its 102,000-seat football stadium, and deep-pocketed donors, who helped the school cover a $75 million buyout after firing football coach Jimbo Fisher last season.

It may have to pony up another $4.12 million to buy out Alberts’ contract at Nebraska after he signed an eight-year extension last fall. He was set to make $1.7 million in each of the next three years before getting a bump to $2.1 million in 2026.

Alberts would have received stay bonuses in years 2026 through 2031 and a contract completion bonus of $3 million if he remained at Nebraska through Aug. 31, 2031.

NU also built in salary reviews at three-year intervals to ensure Alberts is either paid among the top three athletic directors in the Big Ten or the top 10 nationally.

Alberts faced challenges, shared big dreams for his Nebraska alma mater

Trev Alberts says goodbye to Nebraska for Texas A&M? Why? The story lingered all day, maddeningly so, until the news was confirmed Wednesday afternoon. You’ve got some explaining to do, Trev.