What They're Saying About Sandy Barbour's Retirement

Penn State's athletics director will retire this summer after eight years. The university will conduct a national search for her replacement.

Penn State Athletics Director Sandy Barbour will retire this summer after eight years guiding the department through a hectic period that included the post-NCAA sanctions period, the COVID-19 shutdown and the Nittany Lions' first appearance in the Big Ten football championship game.

Barbour announced her decision Wednesday. She had signed a three-year contract extension in 2019 that ran through August 2023. Penn State said it will conduct a national search to identify Barbour's replacement.

"These last eight years have been the most incredible and satisfying of my career," Barbour said in a statement. "The passion, the commitment and the purpose with which the Penn State community pursues excellence is like nothing I’ve ever experienced, and I am honored and privileged to have had the opportunity to serve Penn State students, coaches, faculty, staff and our incredible community.

“Thanks to Penn State, I’ve had the opportunity to develop amazing relationships, work with the best coaches and staff in all of college sports, and most importantly, been surrounded by the most remarkable student-athletes in the country. Penn State and the Happy Valley community have captured my heart and will always hold a treasured place."

In Barbour's time at Penn State, the Nittany Lions won six NCAA championships in wrestling, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball. They won a men's basketball NIT tournament title, won or shared 31 Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles (including the 2016 football championship) and won or shared 39 conference titles overall.

Penn State athletes won 34 individual NCAA titles, and the program finished in the top 20 of the Learfield Director's Cup five times.

Barbour arrived at Penn State in 2015, as James Franklin was beginning his second season as head football coach and the NCAA sanctions from the Sandusky scandal had been removed. Penn State's athletic revenue and expenses rose annually under Barbour, reaching record highs during the 2019 fiscal year.

Penn State athletics generated $164.5 million in revenue that year and spent $160.4 million, creating a surplus of $4.1 million. The department averaged nearly $6 million in annual surpluses under Barbour before the 2021 fiscal year.

The COVID-19 shutdowns, which included playing sports without fans for a year, contributed to Penn State reporting a $23 million deficit for the 2021 fiscal year. The department enacted cost reductions, including pay cuts, and Barbour said she took a 15-percent salary reduction that year.

Meanwhile, Barbour oversaw the development of Penn State's Facilities Master Plan, an enormous 20-year project that began in 2017 and has included updates to Lasch Football Building, the opening of the Morgan Academic Center and the lacrosse-field renovation into Panzer Stadium.

The master plan further included hiring a design team to map the next steps of Beaver Stadium.

Academically, Penn State has reported strong numbers under Barbour. Since 2014, Penn State athletes have recorded the 11 highest semesters for the number of students earning a GPA of 3.0 or higher. A total of 1,098 student-athletes have earned their degrees. And in 2021, Penn State athletes tied the school record for Graduation Success Rate (92 percent). That marked the fifth consecutive year in which Penn State Athletes recorded a GSR of 90 percent or higher.

Barbour served in a variety of national positions, including as chair of the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee.

"Sandy and I have worked for the last eight years to improve the experience of the student-athletes we serve," Franklin said in a statement. "I have admired how deeply Sandy cares for our students, providing them with the resources needed to have a world class experience at Penn State, while preparing them for a lifetime of impact beyond their time here. Her friendship will be missed but I look forward to cheering her on in her next chapter."

Penn State athletics director Sandy Barbour and head football coach James Franklin embrace after the Nittany Lions' 2017 win over Michigan at Beaver Stadium :: Chris Dunn/USA Today Sports

Penn State released several testimonials about Barbour from her colleagues. Here's a sampling.

Penn State Men's Basketball Coach Micah Shrewsberry

"I am forever grateful to Sandy for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to be the head coach at Penn State. I wish her nothing but the best in her retirement. She worked tirelessly to make Penn State a better place for everyone in our department during her time here. I will miss her positive attitude, mentorship, but more importantly, her friendship."

Penn State President Eric Barron

"We are incredibly grateful for Sandy’s leadership and dedication to Penn State’s athletics program, student-athletes, coaches and staff, and fans across the commonwealth and beyond. It’s been an honor to work with her. Through her forward thinking, competitive spirit, and passion for people and sports, Sandy has built a collegiate model to aspire to and has helped the Nittany Lions thrive as one of the nation’s most successful athletics departments. Above all, her commitment to supporting our student-athletes is commendable and will have a lasting impact on their lives both on and off the field."

Ohio State Athletics Director Gene Smith

"I am extremely happy for Sandy. She is an icon in higher education and intercollegiate athletics. Her impact at all of her stops has been significant on student-athletes, coaches and the institutions she has served. Sandy has been a trailblazer for women who want to be leaders in intercollegiate athletics. She set an exceptional example of leadership and I am sure it has inspired others to follow her path. She is a great friend and colleague. I will miss her continued sage advice."

Penn State Field Hockey Coach Char Morrett-Curtiss

"First, I want to thank Sandy for her progressive and positive leadership over the past eight years. I have been appreciative of her hard work, passion and support to all of our programs during her time at Penn State. It has been personally meaningful to see her rooting for our team on the sidelines, once a field hockey player herself, without providing coaching tips! Her core values have aligned with that of Penn State University as she has clearly impacted the growth and success of many coaches and student-athletes. She has been fully committed to academic and athletic integrity, preparing the student-athletes for a lifetime of impact. As coaches, we have witnessed her tireless efforts to guide us thru COVID, as well as the ever-changing athletic landscape. The student-athletes, coaches and staff have been her WHY!"

Penn State Women's Soccer Coach Erica Dambach

"On behalf of the Penn State Women’s Soccer staff and our student-athletes, we’d like to wish Sandy Barbour a healthy and happy retirement! We thank her for her friendship, leadership and support of our program over the past eight years, and for her lifetime of dedication to growing women’s sports. As a female leader in the male-dominated world of college athletics administration, Sandy is a true role model for me and all of our women’s soccer student-athletes. Personally, I admire her work ethic, passion and personal touch she puts into every endeavor. Despite being pulled in so many different directions at a national level, she was always present in the lives of our student-athletes. For this reason and many more, she will forever be one of the very best in the business."

Kevin White, Former Duke and Notre Dame Athletics Director

"Sandy Barbour has long been truly the brightest individual within college athletics, and it’s not even close! To be sure, Sandy has institutionalized the description of a ‘natural leader,’ who happens to drip with integrity, coupled with unqualified passion, while seriously empowering everyone within her immediate zip code. Sandy is a supreme ‘rockstar,’ who has been simply peerless, since like when Jesus was in junior high!"

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