After an earlier report on this topic, the University of Miami announced today that Athletic Director Dan Radakovich will be retiring effective June 1st.
Here’s the press release from Miami Athletics:
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami announced today that Vice President and Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich will retire effective June 1, 2026.
One of the nation’s most accomplished college athletics administrators and the recipient of one of the 2026 NACDA Division I Athletic Directors of the Year
Award, Radakovich returned to the University of Miami in December 2021, nearly 40 years after he started his athletics career working in UM’s Athletics Business Office. While there, he earned his MBA from the School of Business.
During his tenure, Miami Athletics reached several program milestones, and its television viewership ranked among the strongest in the ACC. This past season, the football program made a historic run to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Men’s basketball reached its first-ever Final Four in 2023, and women’s basketball advanced to its first Elite Eight that same year. Six Hurricanes captured NCAA individual national championships during Radakovich’s tenure.
The athletic department matched its school record this past year with an NCAA Graduation Success Rate of 94 percent. Last fall, Miami student-athletes set a department record for semester grade point average (3.40) and all 18 programs exceeded a 3.0 GPA for the first time in school history. The Hurricanes also captured the NCAA Team Works Community Service Competition in both 2022 and 2024.
University of Miami President Joe Echevarria said “Dan came to us with an outstanding track record. I’ve enjoyed working with him as we’ve rebuilt and advanced Miami Athletics during an incredibly transformative time. Dan is a person of high character and has been an invaluable thought partner. I will continue to seek his advice and counsel going forward and wish him and his family all the best in what comes next.”
Radakovich is the past president of LEAD1 (now FBS AD Association), which represents athletic directors at the Division I level. He was named 2017 Sports Business Journal Athletic Director of the Year. In 2014, Radakovich was one of 13 people to be named to the first College Football Playoff selection committee. He is currently serving on the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee.
“Serving the University of Miami again has been an absolute privilege,” Radakovich said. “This place means everything to me, and I’m proud of what our student-athletes, coaches and staff have accomplished together. The program is in a great place, and it’s the right time for fresh leadership to shape what comes next.”
A national search for Radakovich’s successor is being conducted. In the interim, the current deputy directors, Brian Baptiste and Rachelle Paul, will serve as co-leaders reporting directly to President Echevarria.
While the release states a national search is underway, the previous report from last week connected Miami to Michael Yormark, CEO of Roc Nation Sports and former President/CEO of the Florida Panthers, as the targeted candidate to lead the Athletic Department moving forward.
With Yormark’s name having been previously floated by reporters — an indication that it was leaked/placed with them to get a measure of public polling/feedback — it would be mildly shocking if he were not the final choice for the job. Nothing is done yet, however, so we’ll see. It just strains credulity that his name was intentionally leaked and he’s not the guy when all is said and done.
We thank Dan Radakovich for his service to the University of Miami, and wish him well as he moves on.
More on the search for the next Athletic Director int he future.
