Recruiting Dynamic College Athletics Leaders

It is a different college sports landscape today, one in which coaches and administrators wield more influence yet are also placed under greater scrutiny than ever. The pressures of their jobs have multiplied, as have the responsibilities of managing complex departments and programs. More than ever in college athletics, great leadership is needed.

WittKieffer’s Intercollegiate Athletics Practice strategically recruits college sports leaders who seek to positively influence the higher education landscape. These include athletic directors, coaches, conference commissioners and other sports administrators who run exemplary programs and truly make a difference in the lives of student-athletes.

A Call for Multifaceted Leaders

Led by practice leader Jeff Compher, we work with clients to think creatively about their leadership needs and to search for athletics administrators and coaches who excel in addressing today’s priorities. These executives must live the educational missions of their institutions, create a world-class student-athlete experience, and be adept at communications and marketing, fundraising, developing new revenue sources, and building consensus for change.

Partnering with Integrity

Our strategic approach to athletic director search and college coach recruitment is client-centric, communicative and comprehensive. We get to know key stakeholders at each institution we partner with and tailor our college sports leader search process accordingly. We work with and for our clients based on a timeline that is aggressive and balanced with unique sources and intriguing candidates specific to each institution. And we work with the utmost integrity and respect for the individuals involved and their time, confidentiality and reputations.

Success Story

Martin Jarmond – Director of Athletics, UCLA

Jarmond Embracing Expectations at UCLA, Connecting with Fans

Since taking over as Director of Athletics at UCLA in 2020, Martin Jarmond has embraced the challenge of returning Bruins athletics to glory, and made it a priority to create excitement around the teams with alumni and fans. This commitment was front and center during the early rounds of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament when Jarmond connected with a UCLA fan via Twitter to provide tickets to the team’s “first four” match up on March 18th, a game where the opponent had significantly more fans in attendance. If history is any indication, UCLA fans can expect more of this in the future.

Victoria Chun – Thomas A. Beckett Director of Athletics, Yale University

Academics, Social Justice Top Priorities for Trailblazing Yale AD

In 2018, when Victoria M. “Vicky” Chun, was appointed Thomas A. Beckett Director of Athletics, following a nationwide search in partnership with WittKieffer, she became the first woman and first Asian American to serve in that role at Yale University. Under her leadership, 17 Bulldog teams earned Public Recognition Awards in the latest NCAA Academic Progress Rates (APR) report. In just over a year and a half of athletic competition during Chun’s tenure, Yale has won 10 conference championships, 10 postseason victories and two national titles. Furthermore, the Athletic Department promotes social justice and inclusion through Yale Bulldogs for Change, an initiative designed to celebrate diversity and encourage positive change through the shared experiences of participating Yale athletes.

Intercollegiate Athletics Resources

The Inclusive Way to Hire an Athletic Director

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The Game Is Changing in College Athletics

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Navigating Collegiate Athletic Leadership Searches

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Connect with a Practice Leader

Our expertise in college athletics executive search comes from our search work as well as experience in athletics leadership roles. Practice leader Jeff Compher is a former NCAA Division I athletic director who supports each client with insight and candor.

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Prospective Candidates

Learn more about leadership opportunities at the institutions we serve.

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