Dan Radakovich officially retired as University of Miami athletic director today, June 1, ending his nearly five-year tenure at the helm of Hurricanes athletics.
“It’s been such an honor to come back to the university and be the director of athletics for the last four and half years,” Radakovich said. “It’s been a lot of fun, met great people, worked with great people and really inside our program I think we’ve made a difference from a success standpoint.”
A UM alumnus who began his administrative career with the Hurricanes in 1983, the 2025 National Athletic Director of the Year bows out while he is on top of the collegiate athletic world .
Under Radakovich’s leadership, Miami athletics saw a return to national prominence — highlighted by a College Football Playoff national championship game appearance, a men’s basketball Final Four run and major facility upgrades across multiple sports.
Radakovich’s departure comes after weeks of speculation surrounding the timing of his exit, with reports from the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson and Michelle Kaufman suggesting UM was open to a new athletic director. He addressed those reports directly in an interview with The Miami Hurricane, denying any outside pressure in his decision.
“None of that had ever happened,” he said when asked if University leadership, donors or other influences played a role in his retirement decision. “That I can say unequivocally.”
Radakovich, who turns 68 later this month, said the decision was family-oriented, including a desire to be closer to his children and grandchildren as he steps away from leading a Power Five program for the first time since 2006.
“My two boys live in Atlanta,” Radakovich said. “I want to be able to spend time with them a lot more than you can when you’re here in South Florida doing a job. That was probably the biggest piece of it.”
Miami has not named an immediate successor to Radakovich, with Senior Deputy Director of Athletics Brian Baptiste and Deputy Director of Athletics Rachelle Paul appointed as interim co-leaders while a search is conducted.
Early names speculated to become the 16th athletic director include “nontraditional” candidates Michael Yormark and Jim Frevola — both hailing from the business side of operations with South Florida ties.
Yormark, the president and CEO of Roc Nation Sports International, held the same positions with the Florida Panthers from 2003-2013, seeing impressive revenue gains during his decade in charge. Yormark is the twin brother of Brett Yormark, commissioner of the Big 12 Conference and former chief operating officer of Roc Nation.
Frevola also brings a considerable resume as a UM graduate who’s spent nearly three decades in professional administration. Currently, he serves as the President of Business Operations for AFC Bournemouth, a Premier League team coming off its most successful campaign in club history.
The pair’s early momentum in Miami’s athletic director search signals a desire to keep up in the ever-professionalising landscape of college athletics with NIL and investment acquisition at the forefront.
During his 43-year career in collegiate athletics, Radakovich became known for overseeing major infrastructure renovations, keeping his programs at the pinnacle of college athletics.
He got his first chance as athletic director of a Power Five school at Georgia Tech in 2006, overseeing the renovations of Georgia Tech’s football practice facility, basketball arena and tennis facilities.
Radakovich left Atlanta for Clemson, becoming its athletic director in 2012. He played an integral role in the developments of multiple athletic programs while the Tigers won a pair of national championships in 2016 and 2018 in football.
He returned to his alma mater in 2021, becoming UM’s 15th athletic director. In nearly five years in Coral Gables, he oversaw the construction of a 100-yard indoor practice facility, renovations of locker rooms while securing nearly $40 million in donations.
He also pointed to behind-the-scenes improvements that he believes strengthened the department.
“Just making sure that people in the department feel that they’re valued,” Radakovich said. “Doing some professional development things for them … those are important things.”
After more than four decades working in collegiate athletics — headlined by a Sports Business Daily Athletic Director of the Year award in 2017 and being named one of four NACDA Athletic Directors of the Year for FBS in 2026 — Radakovich will let others decide his lasting legacy.
“You want to make the organization that you’re working for better than it was when you got there,” Radakovich said. “If that’s the legacy that I carry on … that would be good enough for me.”
While his tenure as athletic director has ended, Radakovich said he expects to remain connected to the University he once attended as a student.
“I certainly love this place,” he said. “I’m a graduate, so I’m always willing to serve and help the institution.”
As he begins retirement, Radakovich said he is looking forward to spending more time with family and watching the future success of the programs he helped oversee.
“I’m looking forward to watching all the great success that happens in the future with [Miami].”
