Penn State Sets Target Date to Hire New Athletic Director

President-elect Neeli Bendapudi seeks a 'visionary leader' for Penn State athletics.

Penn State plans to hire a new athletic director by July 1, according to a university news release, and president-elect Neeli Bendapudi will lead the search.

Penn State announced that it has retained the executive search firm TurnkeyZRG to contribute to the process. Penn State is replacing Sandy Barbour, who announced her retirement in March after eight years as athletic director.

Bendapudi, who joins Penn State after serving three years as president at the University of Louisville, said in a statement that she's seeking a "visionary leader" for the Nittany Lions' athletic program. Bendapudi cited fundraising, facilities and Name, Image and Likeness opportunities as "critical needs" for the next athletic director to address.

"Penn State has one of the most successful athletics programs in the country, with a proven track record for educating and graduating our talented student-athletes," Bendapudi said in the statement. "Our partnership with TurnkeyZRG will be key to identifying a leader who is well-positioned to further elevate the exceptional Penn State athletics experience.

"The University will seek a visionary leader to uphold the Nittany Lions’ demonstrated tradition of excellence on and off the field and support the continued development of our students, coaches and staff."

Football coach James Franklin, who served on the advisory group that contributed to Penn State's presidential search process, called the athletic director position a "very, very important hire."

"I'm excited right now in how those things are going," Franklin said. "But obviously, this athletic director hire is going to be critical for the university as a whole, for the athletic department, and then specifically to the football program. It's a very, very important hire and very important that we build strong relationships and that I understand so I can do a great job of building the football program in the vision that they expect it to be run."

In announcing her decision to retire, Barbour said that Bendapudi will be "fantastic" for Penn State.

"I think she will provide really strong and determined leadership for Penn State that will be very good not only for Penn State but for Penn State athletics," Barbour said. "I think she gets it. She understands the power of athletics and what it can do for a campus. I think she intends to leverage that to the max, and I for one am very excited to see what that is."

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