Stanford’s athletic director, Bernard Muir, is departing his role, concluding a tenure that began in 2012. Muir’s departure comes after a period marked by critically important changes in collegiate athletics, including the recent transition of Stanford’s athletic programs to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
During Muir’s tenure, the men’s basketball program experienced a resurgence under the newly appointed coach Kyle Smith. The Cardinal achieved a 21-14 record in the past season, marking their highest win total in a decade. This hire followed the dismissal of Jerod Haase, who coached the team for eight seasons without reaching the NCAA Tournament. Haase replaced Johnny Dawkins, whose final season in 2013-14 was the last time the men’s team participated in the NCAA Tournament.
On the women’s basketball front, Muir appointed Kate Paye as head coach last year, succeeding the legendary tara VanDerveer. The team finished the recent season with a 16-15 record, failing to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1987.
Muir also navigated the significant shift of Stanford’s athletic programs from the Pac-12 Conference to the ACC, a move necessitated by the dissolution of the Pac-12.
