Latest news with #StanfordAthletics
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stanford hires former Nike CEO John Donahoe as athletic director
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Former Nike CEO John Donahoe has been hired as athletic director at Stanford. Donahoe will become the school's eighth athletic director and replace Bernard Muir, who stepped down this year. He will officially begin in the role Sept. 8. 'Stanford occupies a unique place in the national athletics landscape,' school president Jon Levin said in a statement. '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.' ESPN first reported the move. Donahoe graduated from Stanford Business School and was CEO at Nike from 2020-24. Donahoe also served as the CEO of ServiceNow, a global software company, and as CEO of eBay. He served as chair of the board at PayPal from 2015-25 and he worked for Bain & Company for nearly 20 years, including as 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," he 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.' Donahoe takes over one of the countries most successful athletic programs with Stanford having won at least one NCAA title in 49 straight years starting in 1976-77 and a record 137 NCAA team titles overall. But the Cardinal struggled in the high-profile sports of football and men's basketball under Muir's tenure, leading to the decision to hire former Stanford and NFL star Andrew Luck to oversee the football program as its general manager. The Cardinal are looking to rebound in football after going to three Rose Bowls under former coach David Shaw in Muir's first four years as AD. Shaw resigned in 2022 following a second straight 3-9 season and Muir's new hire, Troy Taylor, posted back-to-back 3-9 seasons before being fired in March following a report that he had been investigated twice for allegedly mistreating staffers. Luck hired former NFL coach Frank Reich as interim coach. The men's basketball program hasn't made the NCAA Tournament since Muir's second season in 2013-14 under former coach Johnny Dawkins. Dawkins was fired in 2016 and replaced by Jerod Haase, who failed to make the tournament once in eight years. Muir hired Kyle Smith last March to take over and the Cardinal went 21-14 for their most wins in 10 years. Muir also hired Kate Paye as women's basketball coach last year after Hall of Famer Tara VanDerveer retired. The Cardinal went 16-15 this past season and in missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1987. Muir also oversaw the Cardinal's transition to the ACC this past year after the school's long-term home, the Pac-12, broke apart. ___ AP college sports:
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Longtime Stanford athletic director Bernard Muir to step down
Bernard Muir's time at Stanford is coming to an end. The longtime athletic director announced on Tuesday that he will step down from his post at the end of the academic year. After nearly 13 years leading one of the most successful intercollegiate athletic departments in the country, Bernard Muir has announced his intention to step down as Director of Stanford Athletics at the end of this academic year. — Stanford Cardinal 🌲🤓 (@GoStanford) February 25, 2025 "It has been my honor to serve as the Director of Athletics at Stanford," he said in a statement. "I am forever proud of the history we made and protected, the long list of championships and champions, and the focus we applied to connecting those committed to this university to the greatest good for the Cardinal,' Muir said in a statement. 'My experience at Stanford will forever hold its significant place on my treasured journey in collegiate sports. I now look forward to the next compelling challenge and to making the next important contribution.' Muir, 56, is wrapping up his 13th year at Stanford, where he helped oversee the program's transition from the Pac-12 into the ACC. The Cardinal won more than 30 NCAA titles and eight Director's Cups — which is awarded to the country's top athletic department — under his watch. Despite those successes, however, both the football and men's basketball teams have struggled. The football program hasn't won more than four games since the 2018 season, which was the last time they reached a bowl game. The men's basketball team has made the NCAA tournament just once in the past 17 seasons. The program currently holds a 17-10 record in the first year under new head coach Kyle Smith. The women's basketball team was incredibly successful under his watch, though that was thanks to longtime coach Tara VanDerveer. She spent 38 seasons with the program before she retired last spring, and she picked up a then-record 1,216 wins in her career. The school named the basketball court at Maples Pavilion after her. Muir was hired at Stanford in 2012 to replace Bob Bowlsby. He previously held the same position at both Delaware and Georgetown, and he also worked as Notre Dame's deputy athletic director. Muir has also been a member of USA Basketballs' board of directors and previously served as the chair of the NCAA Division I men's basketball committee. Stanford will appoint an interim athletic director in the near future, and then launch a search for a permanent replacement. 'We are grateful to Bernard for his unwavering commitment to Stanford and to our unique tradition of student athletes who excel both on the field and in the classroom,' Stanford president Jon Levin said in a statement. 'Bernard has led the Cardinal to more championships than any other college athletic program and has helped Stanford navigate the biggest changes the college athletics landscape has ever seen. I'm grateful for all that he has done for Stanford and for our students.'
