Colorado Athletic Director Rick George to Step Into Advisory Role

A transformational leader on campus and across the country since his appointment in 2013, University of Colorado Athletic Director Rick George has announced that he will step away from his position as AD at the conclusion of the academic year and transition to a role as Special Advisor to the Chancellor and Director of Athletics Emeritus, continuing what has been a 42-year career in sports.

"It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as Athletic Director for the University of Colorado for the last 13 years, but after considerable thought and discussions with my family dating back to last spring, I have decided it is time for new leadership to guide the department," said George. "I wanted to make this announcement now in order to give Chancellor Schwartz plenty of time to find the right person for Colorado, and I look forward to doing everything I can to ensure a smooth transition. I also wanted to time my announcement so that I could support Coach Prime and our football team this season, which I'm looking forward to continuing in my new role.

"I am so grateful to the CU Board of Regents, President Saliman, Chancellor Schwartz, and former Chancellor DiStefano, for the opportunity to lead this department. Thank you to our staff, our coaches, our donors, Buff Nation and especially our student-athletes for making this the best job in the country. The University of Colorado is a special place, and I'll always cherish the incredible relationships I've made during my time here in Boulder.

"I am truly thankful that Chancellor Schwartz has asked me to stay on as Special Advisor and AD Emeritus after my successor is named, which keeps me connected to CU Athletics while also allowing for plenty of time with my granddaughters Harper and Maddie. To my wife Nancy, our daughters Jenni and Christi, family, friends, colleagues and Buff fans—thank you for your incredible support."

George became just the sixth full-time Athletic Director in school history when he was hired July 13, 2013, beginning a tenure as one of the most respected ADs in the nation.

"Rick's contributions to our university in his 13 years as head of our athletic department have been incalculable," said Chancellor Justin Schwartz. "He is a nationally respected leader who has always kept CU at the forefront of the dynamic and highly competitive landscape of college athletics. I am grateful for his leadership and am elated he has decided to stay on as a Special Advisor and AD Emeritus."

"While well earned, Rick's decision to step back from his role as CU Boulder Athletic Director is a loss for us but I am glad he has agreed to serve in an advisory capacity next year," said CU President Todd Saliman. "I want to thank Rick for his leadership, commitment and countless contributions to CU Boulder athletics and to our students. Rick is a national leader in the world of college sports. His tenure has been marked by his ardent support for making sure the word student always precedes athlete across all our teams. He has nurtured programs across both men's and women's sports and our Olympic sports that are consistently nationally competitive. And he has brought his considerable business acumen to an increasingly complex collegiate sports environment. His impact will be felt for years to come."

In 2014, George spearheaded the building of the UCHealth Champions Center through the most successful fundraising campaign in department history, generating $100 million for the project. He successfully led the department through the COVID-19 pandemic, creating a model of fiscal responsibility that is now the benchmark in major college athletics. Under his stewardship, CU Athletics has repeatedly set records in donations, sponsorships, ticket sales and revenue. He orchestrated the Buffaloes' return to the Big 12 Conference and in December 2022, George made one of the boldest hires in college football history, bringing Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders in to lead the Buffaloes, restoring the program to relevancy and putting Colorado football back on the national map.

George's tenure as Athletic Director has also been marked by an unwavering commitment to CU student-athletes. He created or enhanced a number of student-athlete resources, including the Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete Program, Psychological Health & Performance and the Scripps Leadership & Career Development program, setting student-athletes up for success outside of competition for the rest of their lives. By making academics a priority, CU student-athletes continually have broken GPA records under George and collectively have scored above a 3.0 in each of the last 11 semesters. In competition during his tenure, all but one of the Buffs varsity sports programs has competed in the postseason and won national championships in men's cross country (2014), women's cross country (2018), and skiing (2015, 2024).

He was named "Athletic Director of the Year" in 2023-24 by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), becoming the first Colorado AD to receive the national accolade. He has also been named to the National Football Foundation's "Team of Excellence" and was recognized for his leadership developing sports sustainability programs that he instituted throughout the department and the Pac-12 Conference. CU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has recognized him three times as its "Staff Member of the Year," and he was honored by the Alumni C Club with an "Honorary C" for his years of dedication to Colorado Athletics.

Highly regarded by his peers and those throughout college athletics, George served as the chair of the LEAD1 Association, was a member of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee and served as a key member of the Division I Council, helping to shape the future of intercollegiate athletics.

His career at Colorado started in 1987, when head football coach Bill McCartney hired him as CU's recruiting coordinator and eventually promoted him to Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations after the Buffs finished the 1989 season 11-0. The following year, George was part of the staff when Colorado defeated Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl to claim the university's only football national championship.

George spent eight years at Vanderbilt University from 1991-98, serving as Associate Athletic Director for External Operations and overseeing the football program before joining the PGA Tour as its Executive Vice President and Chief of Operations as well as President of the Champions Tour and President/CEO of the Fore! Kids Foundation, which raised money for children's charities via golf-related events.

Immediately before returning to the University of Colorado Boulder as Athletic Director, George was President and COO of Major League Baseball's Texas Rangers, where he was responsible for all facets of the Rangers' business operations, including overseeing sales and marketing, broadcast and communications, ticket and suite sales, finance, human resources and operations.

George will continue to assist CU Athletics in his new role, participating in revenue-generating initiatives for the department during a time when revenue generation is vital for success.

Details regarding the timeline for hiring a new Athletic Director at Colorado will be announced at a later date.

Colorado University Athletics

Colorado Athletic Director Rick George to Step Into Advisory Role

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