STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - Former Nike CEO John Donahoe has been appointed as the new athletic director at Stanford University, marking a significant transition for the school's athletic program. This decision follows the resignation of Bernard Muir, who served in the role before Donahoe. According to a source familiar with the hiring process, Donahoe’s appointment is yet to be officially announced.
Donahoe, an alumnus of Stanford Business School, boasts a diverse career with leadership positions at prominent companies, including Nike, Bain & Company, and eBay. He was the CEO of Nike from 2020 to 2024, and he now steps into the role of athletic director at one of the most successful collegiate athletic programs in the nation. Stanford's athletic teams have achieved remarkable success, winning at least one NCAA title for 49 consecutive years since 1976-77, and a total of 137 NCAA team titles.
Despite this legacy of success, the Cardinal have faced challenges in prominent sports during Muir’s tenure. This includes struggles in football and men’s basketball. To address these issues, Stanford has brought on former NFL and Stanford star Andrew Luck as the general manager of the football program. The transition comes at a time when the Cardinal aim to improve their football performance, particularly after a period of decline that saw them lose significant ground following three Rose Bowl appearances under former coach David Shaw, who resigned after a disappointing 3-9 season in 2022.
Troy Taylor, the coach hired to replace Shaw, has also experienced a difficult start, recording back-to-back 3-9 seasons. Meanwhile, the men’s basketball program has not reached the NCAA Tournament since Muir’s second year in 2013-14, when Johnny Dawkins was the head coach. After Dawkins was dismissed in 2016, Jerod Haase took over but failed to lead the team to the tournament in his eight seasons. Recently, Muir hired Kyle Smith, who managed to bring the Cardinal to a respectable 21-14 record, marking their best performance in a decade.
The women's basketball program experienced changes as well during Muir's administration. Following the retirement of Hall of Famer Tara VanDerveer, Muir appointed Kate Paye as the new head coach, yet the team finished with a 16-15 record and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1987.
Additionally, Muir played a crucial role in Stanford's transition to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) this year, after the university's long-standing affiliation with the Pac-12 conference came to an end due to its disbandment.
As Donahoe steps into this new role, he carries the hope of revitalizing the athletic programs at Stanford, which hold a historical reputation for excellence yet face a demanding challenge to regain their resilience in high-profile competitions.
