Long considered one of the preeminent collegiate athletics administrators in the country, University of Oklahoma Vice President and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione announced Tuesday morning during a news conference at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium that he will retire, effective in June 2028.

The search committee for Castiglione's replacement will be led by Chair of OU Football Randall Stephenson. Castiglione will serve as an advisor to the committee. Upon the naming of his successor and his or her arrival to campus, Castiglione will assume the role of Emeritus Athletics Director, supporting the department in fundraising for athletics priorities and providing counsel and assistance throughout the transition.

The longest-tenured athletics director among NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision schools, Castiglione has presided over the OU Athletics Department since 1998, making him Oklahoma’s longest-serving AD. In that time, he has directed the Sooners to an unparalleled level of across-the-board success. From dozens of team national championships to several hundred All-Americans, to outstanding coaching hires, record-setting fundraising, extensive facilities construction, establishing OU Athletics as a truly self-sustaining program, unprecedented academic achievement and much more, his tenure has been marked by accomplishment and humility.

"Serving as the University of Oklahoma's Athletics Director is the honor of my lifetime," said Castiglione, who this month is beginning his 28th year at OU. "Nearly three decades ago, my family moved here, and Sooner Nation welcomed us home with open arms and hearts. In that time, my experience has been a collective one, achieving new heights of excellence with our student-athletes, coaches, staff, university administration, and of course, our fans. I'm filled with immense pride in all we've accomplished together, and I'm energized by what comes next.

“Looking ahead, we have the opportunity to continue working together to win championships, set more records, celebrate the successes of our student-athletes, and mark a new era of Oklahoma Athletics. I'm deeply appreciative to those who brought me to Oklahoma, as well as those who have played a role in my tenure thus far, especially President Harroz and our past and present Board of Regents. The future is incredibly bright for OU Athletics, and I know we're positioned for continued success."

Also participating in the news conference, OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. and OU Board of Regents Chair Anita Holloway each lauded Castiglione and expressed deep gratitude for his stewardship and service.

"There is a reason Joe has been called the best athletics director in the country: because no one has done it better,” said Harroz. “Under his leadership, Sooner Magic has thrived with an incredible number of national championships and conference titles, transformation of our world-class athletics venues, a top-notch fan experience, and an abiding focus on our student-athletes. The University of Oklahoma, its legions of fans and the State of Oklahoma owe Joe a debt of gratitude for his more than 27 years of service.”

“Joe’s leadership and depth of character are unmatched,” said Holloway. “His steady hand has guided our University through some of the greatest transitions in Sooners history, including rules governing Name, Image and Likeness and OU’s entry into the SEC—all while building and sustaining winning teams. He has set the gold standard for athletics directors, and his shoes will be hard to fill.”

Upon his arrival in Norman, Castiglione worked quickly to position Oklahoma for long-term success, and the Sooners have flourished ever since. Of OU's 45 all-time team national championships, 26 (or 58%) have been won during his tenure. That includes at least one team national title in each of the last 12 years. The Sooners have also amassed 117 team conference championships under Castiglione and produced 71 individual national champions and 97 academic All-Americans.

In his time at OU, the football program has competed in 26 consecutive bowl games, good for the second-longest streak nationally, and won the 2000 national title. Men's and women's basketball have combined for five Final Four appearances and three national players of the year. Softball has made 18 trips to the Women's College World Series, including each of the last nine years, and has won eight national titles. Men's gymnastics has won nine NCAA championships and women's gymnastics has won seven of the last 11. Men’s golf, which won the 2017 national title, has advanced to the NCAA Championships a record-setting 14 straight seasons, and baseball has twice participated in the College World Series.

Student-athletes under Castiglione’s watch have also thrived in the classroom, as evidenced by record graduation rates and a program-record-setting 27-semester streak of a 3.0-plus cumulative GPA. This past fall, they set a program standard with a 3.29 cumulative GPA, only to top that in the spring term with a 3.31 performance.

Castiglione is a six-time national athletics director of the year and has earned numerous additional honors. He was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators Hall of Fame in 2003, the Broward County (Fla.) Sports Hall of Fame in 2011, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 2018 and the Phi Delta Theta National Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.

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