Editor’s note: A previous version of this article and its headline cited an ESPN report saying Kevin Anderson was placed on leave. The article and headline were updated after the university denied reports of Anderson’s firing, but did not comment on the leave. The university announced days after that Anderson would be taking a six-month sabbatical.

The University of Maryland denied Kevin Anderson’s dismissal after numerous reports surfaced Saturday saying the athletic director was fired.

Anderson has led this university’s athletic department for the last seven years, overseeing its move to the Big Ten and the construction of an indoor football training facility at Cole Field House.

Maryland left the ACC for the Big Ten in 2014 to bring financial stability to the athletic department, which had cut seven varsity sports in 2012.

In 2013, the athletic department reported a deficit of more than $21 million. Its financial standing has improved since then. In 2015-16, the athletic department earned more than $94 million in revenue, according to USA Today.

The Cole Field House renovation has been the cornerstone project under Anderson. The $155 million task will include indoor and outdoor practice fields, strength and conditioning training facilities, an orthopedic treatment center and a sports medicine research center.

The indoor fields opened over the summer, while the full construction process is expected to finish in early 2019.

Notable coaching changes under Anderson included the hiring of men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon, men’s lacrosse coach John Tillman and football coach DJ Durkin.

In 2016, the men’s basketball team reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2003.

Anderson was the athletic director at Army for six years before coming to College Park. He also was the executive associate athletics director at Oregon State from January 2003 to December 2004 and served as the executive associate athletic director for external affairs at the University of California.