Bernard Muir named athletic director at Stanford University

Bernard Muir will assume his position as Stanford's Jaquish and Kenninger Director of Athletics in mid August. (Photo: Courtesy of the University of Delaware)

Bernard Muir, director of athletics and recreation services at the University of Delaware, has been selected as Stanford's next Jaquish and Kenninger Director of Athletics. He was appointed to his new position by Provost John Etchemendy.

Muir will begin work in mid August.

"Bernard Muir has a national reputation as a superb athletic administrator," said Etchemendy. "He also has a deep personal understanding of what it means to be a scholar-athlete, performing at the very highest levels both academically and athletically. In Bernard Muir, we are confident we have a leader with the integrity, experience and commitment to ensure that Stanford's athletic legacy continues."

Muir has nearly 25 years of athletic administrative experience at Delaware, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Butler, Auburn and the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). He has directed Delaware's athletic program since 2009 and, before that, was director of athletics at Georgetown from 2005 to 2009. As an undergraduate at Brown University, Muir was a four-year letter winner in basketball.

In February 2012, Muir was named to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee. The committee oversees all aspects of NCAA collegiate men's basketball at the Division I level and serves as the selection committee for the NCAA Tournament. He also serves as a member of the board of directors of USA Basketball.

At Delaware, Muir is credited with increasing the competitiveness of Blue Hen varsity sports, helping secure NCAA Division I tournament games on campus and enhancing athletic facilities.

"I'm thrilled to be joining the Stanford community," Muir said. "This is a wonderful opportunity for our family. I'm looking forward to being part of the world-class tradition of excellence that characterizes the student-athlete experience at Stanford."

At Stanford, Muir will succeed Bob Bowlsby, who left Stanford in June to become commissioner of the Big 12 Conference. Patrick Dunkley, deputy director of athletics, has served as interim athletic director since Bowlsby's departure.

The Stanford program Muir will head has won 18 consecutive Directors' Cup trophies as the top overall athletic program in the country. Stanford athletic teams have won at least one national championship annually for the past 36 years, the longest such streak in the nation. Stanford teams have won 103 NCAA Championships, ranking second in the nation. No other school has won more than Stanford's 423 individual national titles. All 35 programs exceed the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate.

The Stanford Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation supports 35 varsity sports as well as campus-wide recreation, fitness and wellness programs. The university employs about 100 coaches and assistants. Ten current coaches have led their teams to one or more NCAA titles.

Muir has earned the respect of collegiate athletic administrators nationwide, including Kevin White, director of athletics at Duke University, who is widely regarded as the dean of athletic directors.

"Simply put, Stanford University made a brilliant hire," White said. "Bernard Muir has already distinguished himself as a truly great leader. Bernard is terribly humble, incomparably intelligent and just drips with integrity. Moreover, Bernard is empathetic to a fault, inordinately task oriented, both clearly adaptable and situational, and ridiculously passionate about the plight of the student-athlete."

Muir was selected after a nationwide search headed by Robert Simoni, the Donald Kennedy Chair in the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences and professor of biology, and Jeff Wachtel, senior assistant to the president.

"I could not be more delighted that Bernard will join the Stanford family," said Simoni. "He shares every value we have as an institution and that we expect for our athletic program. He also shares our absolute commitment to integrity and a passion to provide our remarkable students with every opportunity for academic and athletic success. It's a great day for the future of Stanford athletics."

Before joining the athletics administration at Georgetown, Muir served as deputy director of athletics/administration and facilities at the University of Notre Dame from 2004 to 2005. He also served at Notre Dame as senior associate athletic director for student welfare and development from 2003 to 2004 and as associate athletic director for student welfare and development from 2000 to 2003.

Muir worked for the NCAA from 1998 to 2000 as director of operations for the Division I men's national basketball championship and from 1992 to 1998 as assistant director of the Division I men's national basketball championship. He began his career in athletics administration as an athletic administrative assistant at Butler University in 1990, and subsequently held positions with Auburn University and Streetball Partners International of Dallas.

In 2007 Muir was named to Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal's "Top 40 Under 40."

Muir earned a bachelor's degree in organizational behavior and management from Brown University in 1990 and a master's degree in sports administration from Ohio University in 1992.

Muir and his wife, Liz, have two daughters.

Editor Note:

A high-resolution photo of Bernard Muir is available upon request.

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