Gene Smith calling it quits
Ohio State athletic director, Gene Smith, talks to the media about his decision to step down as head of the university's athletics department. Photo by Andy Evans/Columbus Wired.
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith is stepping down.
The 67-year-old announced on Wednesday that he is calling it quits as the head of the athletics department for the university, effective June 30, 2024.
The 18-year head of Buckeye athletics announced on Tuesday he was holding a special press conference the next day and shocked the media room when he made the announcement.
“I just want to thank the leadership of Ohio State during my tenure. They provided me an unbelievable opportunity to lead this program the last 18 years and it’s been phenomenal.
“I’ve always believed a leader seeks to be the right person at the right time in the life of an institution and I just believe that July of 2024 is the right time to welcome in new leadership,” he said.
Smith went on to say that the new athletic director will also be chosen when the new president of the university is chosen after former president Kristina Johnson stepped down in May. However, the school is still in search of a new president and Smith didn’t elaborate as to who he thought his successor might be.
“Making this announcement now affords me the opportunity to work with my colleagues in the Presidents Cabinet and hopefully facilitate a transition for the next president once she or he is appointed.”
Smith said every year, he and his wife, Sheila, sit down and talk about their future, which has always included his job duties at Ohio State. Every year, they’ve both felt it wasn’t the right time to call it quits because there was never someone in place he felt could seamlessly pick up and continue with where we left off.
During Smith’s tenure, Ohio State earned 115 team and 369 individual Big Ten conference championships and won 32 team and 117 individual accolades on the national stage.
In addition, Ohio State posted a cross-sport, multi-year Academic Performance Rate of 993, the highest in school history. Of the 36 sports programs, 26 have multi-year rates of 990 or greater, and the football program’s rate of 993 is an all-time high.
Born and raised in Cleveland, Smith is in his 19th year at Ohio State, his first beginning in April 2005. Prior to Ohio State, Smith served as athletic director at Arizona State University (2000-2005), Iowa State University (1993-2000) and Eastern Michigan University (1985-1993).
Smith is the Buckeyes’ eighth AD and his tenure ranks third longest among the school’s previous seven athletic directors: Andy Geiger (1994-2005), Jim Jones (1987-94), Richard Bay (1984-87), Hugh Hindman (1977-84), J. Edward Weaver (1970-77), Richard Larkins (1947-70) and Lynn W. St. John (1912-47).