Laird Veatch Officially Named Missouri Athletic Director

The University of Missouri's two-month search for a new athletic director ended on Tuesday morning.

After a two-month search, the University of Missouri officially signed its new athletic director in former Memphis AD Laird Veatch on Tuesday morning. His first day on the job will be May 1.

"The search committee was dedicated to finding a great director of athletics, but even more important was to find the director of athletics who is the best fit for Mizzou," said Bob Blitz, curator and chair of the search committee, in a release. "I am confident Laird will accelerate our path to the pinnacle of SEC athletics."

The specifics of Veatch's deal weren't revealed in the release, but according to a Monday report from ESPN's Pete Thamel when terms were being discussed, the contract is expected to be five years, lasting through 2028.

Veatch has been the athletic director for Memphis since October 2019 and has multiple ties to Missouri. He worked in various developmental roles for Missouri starting in 1997 and was named the assistant athletics director for development in 2000. During this time, he managed the Tiger Scholarship Fund.

"We are thrilled to welcome Laird back to Mizzou as our new athletic director," Board Chair Robin Wenneker said. "Mizzou Athletics competes in a dynamic, highly competitive environment and the search committee sought an AD who would not only capture the momentum we have built, but also drive our athletics program to new heights. Laird is the right person to lead athletics to the highest standard of excellence we expect at the University of Missouri."

Veatch is looking forward to another round with Tiger athletics.

"The opportunity to return to the University of Missouri and to Columbia is truly incredible for me and my family," Veatch said. "I am grateful to President Choi, the Board of Curators and the members of the search committee for believing in me and in the future of Mizzou Athletics. Mizzou has always had a passionate and dedicated fan base including broad support throughout the state, and together, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish. That includes winning SEC and NCAA championships while providing our student-athletes with a tremendous experience. I am honored and humbled to serve the university and to do my part to elevate Mizzou Athletics to unprecedented heights."

In 2003, he was hired by Learfield Sports, where he worked as the general manager of Mizzou Sports Properties before being promoted to regional vice president in 2006.

In his time at Memphis, Veatch has hired football coach Ryan Silverfield and women's basketball coaches Katrina Merriweather and Alex Simmons. He worked out an extension with men's basketball coach Penny Hardaway in 2020.

Veatch also previously hired current Missouri baseball coach Kerrick Jackson at Memphis in 2023.

The hiring of Veatch stems from when former athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois took the same role at the University of Arizona. He'll have big shoes to fill as the program reported record revenue in both 2022 and 2023 under Reed-Francois.

Veatch will be taking over an athletics program on the rise. Last week, the school announced the approval for up to $250 million in renovations to Memorial Stadium. The renovation plans include an addition of up to 2,000 premium seats.