Syracuse announces athletics director to retire

Syracuse athletics director John Wildhack has been with the Orange since 2016.

Nov 25, 2023; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange director of athletics John Wildhack looks on prior to the game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Syracuse athletics director John Wildhack will retire and remain with the school through July 1, the school announced on Wednesday.

The story was first reported by ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Wildhack has been the AD at Syracuse since 2016. He is just the 11th director of athletics and came to Syracuse after a long stint at ESPN as an executive.

"It has been the greatest honor of my career to lead Syracuse Athletics," Wildhack said in a statement. "Syracuse University shaped the trajectory of my life, and to spend nearly a decade serving my alma mater has been an extraordinary privilege. I'm proud of what we've accomplished: championship-caliber facilities, record academic achievement and student-athletes excelling on and off the field. I came here with a tremendous sense of responsibility and leave with profound gratitude for the opportunity to give back to the place that gave me so much."

Under Wildhack's time, the 2022 men's soccer team captured the National Championship won, and he is credited with having 32 conference championships, and three national championships.

"From the moment John returned to his alma mater in 2016, he has been relentless in his pursuit of excellence across all facets of Syracuse Athletics," Chancellor Kent Syverud said in a statement. "John has supported our student-athletes as competitors and scholars, he has transformed our athletics facilities. He has been a vital leader in the work of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and he has navigated the rapidly evolving college athletics landscape with expertise and vision. I am deeply grateful to John and wish him and his family the very best as he begins this well-deserved retirement."

The school also said that the search to identify Wildhack’s successor would be forthcoming.

“I am incredibly proud of the competitive and academic success our programs have had over the last decade,” Wildhack said. "I appreciate Chancellor Syverud, our Board of Trustees and our athletics staff for their passion, dedication and unwavering support of our student-athletes. To our fans, donors and Syracuse Nation, thank you for your commitment to Orange Athletics and thank you for supporting our teams in our pursuit of excellence.

“Orange runs deep in my family. I will always be a proud alum, a proud parent and passionate supporter of Syracuse University and Syracuse Athletics. I will always be forever Orange.”

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