STANFORD, Calif. -- After nearly 13 years leading one of the most successful intercollegiate athletic departments in the country, Bernard Muir has announced his intention to step down as director of Stanford Athletics at the end of this academic year.
Muir, the Jaquish & Kenninger Director of Athletics, assumed his role in 2012. Over the last 12 seasons, he has guided the Cardinal to 33 NCAA championships and 46 national titles overall, in addition to 146 conference championships. He has also championed Stanford’s commitment to academic as well as athletic achievement. Student-athletes at Stanford achieve an overall graduation rate of 98 percent, with 21 varsity teams earning a 100 percent graduation rate.
"It has been my honor to serve as the Director of Athletics at Stanford. I am forever proud of the history we made and protected, the long list of championships and champions, and the focus we applied to connecting those committed to this university to the greatest good for the Cardinal,” said Muir. “My experience at Stanford will forever hold its significant place on my treasured journey in collegiate sports. I now look forward to the next compelling challenge and to making the next important contribution.”
“We are grateful to Bernard for his unwavering commitment to Stanford and to our unique tradition of student athletes who excel both on the field and in the classroom,” said Jon Levin, Stanford’s president. “Bernard has led the Cardinal to more championships than any other college athletic program and has helped Stanford navigate the biggest changes the college athletics landscape has ever seen. I’m grateful for all that he has done for Stanford and for our students.”
Stanford will appoint an acting athletics director in the coming weeks before a search for a permanent replacement for Muir gets underway.
Since Muir’s arrival, Stanford has won eight Learfield Directors’ Cup trophies, continuing a stretch in which the Cardinal has won the award in 26 out of 30 seasons. Stanford has also claimed 10 Capital One Cups while remaining the only school to deliver a season sweep of the men's and women's titles in the history of the award.
Stanford athletes have also seen remarkable success at the Summer Olympics during Muir’s tenure. Stanford concluded the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with a school-record 39 medals, more than double the number of any other school, and has won 134 medals combined over the last five Summer Games.
Since Muir’s arrival in 2012, Stanford has announced 17 endowed head coachships, 34 assistant coachships, and six directorships, demonstrating strong support from the Cardinal philanthropic community and a powerful indicator of coaching success.
Many significant Stanford Athletics facility upgrades also have been launched during Muir’s tenure, including current renovations of Taube Family Tennis Stadium and Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium, the home to Stanford Softball. Other notable enhancements include an Arrillaga Family Sports Center addition, Home of Champions and Sydney & Theodore Rosenberg Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame, Stanford Stadium fieldhouse, Laird Q. Cagan Stadium expansion, Siebel Training Complex, Beach Volleyball Stadium, Arrillaga Outdoor Education & Recreation Center, Arrillaga Hall, and renovations to Sunken Diamond and the Stanford Golf Course.
Muir guided the Cardinal’s move to the Atlantic Coast Conference after the dissolution of the Pac-12 Conference in 2023 and has helped to navigate Stanford through the major recent changes that are shaping the landscape of college sports.
Before coming to Stanford, Muir directed the University of Delaware’s athletics program from 2009 to 2012 and was director of athletics at Georgetown University from 2005 to 2009. He previously served in several athletics administration positions at Notre Dame and worked for the NCAA as chair of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee for the 2018-19 campaign.