'Needed a distinctive leader': Former Nike CEO John Donahoe returns to Stanford as athletics director; replaces Muir
Donahoe, a Stanford Business School alumnus, will officially assume the role on September 8, becoming the university's eighth athletic director.
'Stanford occupies a unique place in the national athletics landscape,' said school president Jon Levin in a statement, cited by AP.
'We needed a distinctive leader — someone with the vision, judgment, and strategic acumen for a new era of college athletics, and with a deep appreciation for Stanford's model of scholar-athlete excellence. John embodies these characteristics.'
Donahoe led Nike as CEO from 2020 to 2024, following stints at several high-profile companies including ServiceNow and eBay.
He also served as chair of the board at PayPal from 2015 to 2025, and spent nearly two decades at Bain & Company, where he rose to become the firm's worldwide CEO.
'Stanford has enormous strengths and enormous potential in a changing environment, including being the model for achieving both academic and athletic excellence at the highest levels,' Donahoe said. 'I can't wait to work in partnership with the Stanford team to build momentum for Stanford Athletics and ensure the best possible experiences for our student-athletes.'
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He takes charge of one of the most successful collegiate athletic programs in the United States. Stanford has won at least one NCAA title every year since 1976–77, racking up a record 137 NCAA team championships overall.
However, under Muir's tenure, the Cardinal struggled in marquee sports such as football and men's basketball. In response, Stanford brought in former NFL and Stanford star Andrew Luck to serve as general manager of the football programme.
The Cardinal are now looking to recover their footing on the gridiron. After reaching three Rose Bowls under former coach David Shaw early in Muir's tenure, the team slumped. Shaw stepped down in 2022 following back-to-back 3–9 seasons. His successor, Troy Taylor, posted the same record in two consecutive years before being dismissed in March, following reports that he had been investigated twice over allegations of staff mistreatment.
Frank Reich, a former NFL coach, was later appointed interim coach by Luck.
Men's basketball has also faltered, having missed the NCAA Tournament every year since 2013–14, Muir's second season. Johnny Dawkins, head coach at the time, was dismissed in 2016 and succeeded by Jerod Haase, who never led the team to the tournament in his eight-year tenure. Kyle Smith, hired by Muir last March, guided the Cardinal to a 21–14 record, their best in a decade.
On the women's side, longtime head coach and Hall of Famer Tara VanDerveer retired last year. Kate Paye, appointed as her replacement, oversaw a difficult 16–15 season in which the team failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1987.
Muir also played a key role in navigating Stanford's transition to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), following the collapse of their former home, the Pac-12.
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