PROVO, Utah (ABC4) – The Board of Trustees of Brigham Young University (BYU) named C. Shane Reese as its new university president on Tuesday, starting the position on May 1.

Reese will replace Kevin J. Worthen, who has served as president since 2014. The announcement was made by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve during the BYU Campus weekly devotional.

During the announcement, Holland said Reese turned down a front office position with NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles in order to stay with BYU.

“It’s one thing to turn down Los Alamos Laboratory, or even the U.S. government, which he has done, but my goodness, turning down the Philadelphia Eagles? Talk about loyalty,” joked Holland.

During his address, Reese said he was humbled and stood at a place where he was coming to grips with the huge shoes that he is being asked to fill.

“At this important occasion, Wendy [Reese] and I pledge our best efforts to build on the progress of President and Sister Worthen,” said Reese.

Reese joined BYU’s statistics faculty in 2001, becoming the dean of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences from 2017 to 2019. In 2019, Reese took on the position of BYU’s academic vice president, which he has held since.

Reese is the university’s 14th president. BYU’s Board of Trustees is headed by LDS President Russell M. Nelson.