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The University of Oklahoma has found its next Athletics Director. After multiple reports surfaced that the school intended to do so, Oklahoma officially named Roger Denny as its 12th Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Programs and Director of Athletics on Friday. In the press release, OU called it "a key appointment at a defining moment in college sports."
Denny replaces Vice President and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione, who has been at OU since he was hired back in April of 1998. In that time, he's helped shape OU Athletics into the collegiate sports giant that it is today, hiring national championship-winning coaches in football (Bob Stoops) and softball (Patty Gasso), among others. He also guided the athletic department's transition from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference.
Castiglione's replacement as Director of Athletics was most recently the Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Operating Officer at Illinois. According to the press release, Denny is "a successful corporate attorney with deep legal background and athletics leadership experience at the University of Illinois, will lead OU Athletics to expand opportunities for student-athletes while building on OU’s tradition of championship excellence in a new era for one of college athletics’ most storied programs."
Denny has a bachelor’s degree from Southeast Missouri State University, a law degree from St. Louis University, and an LLM in tax from Washington University in St. Louis.
Additionally, the university announced that Randall Stephenson, former CEO of AT&T, "who has led large-scale organizations through disruptive change across business, media, and sports and who has served as Chair and Special Advisor to the President for OU Athletics since 2024, will remain in that position."
Prior to his time at Illinois, Denny "spent nearly 15 years practicing law, focusing on executive compensation, tax, corporate finance, and licensing. Before joining Illinois, he was a partner at SpencerFane LLP in St. Louis. His prior legal experience includes the representation of college athletics departments and sports businesses in a wide variety of critical and complex transactions, including executive compensation and collective bargaining matters. Denny’s legal experience also provides a foundation for leading major athletics programs, overseeing coaching contracts, managing complex operations, and identifying opportunities that expand student-athlete success in a disrupted college athletics landscape."
According to the press release, "Denny is the sport administrator for the football program, led by head coach Bret Bielema, which has won 19 games the last two seasons. Illinois’ four-year growth in season ticket sales, student season tickets, and average attendance is among the best in the country ... Denny oversees all athletics’ business operations at Illinois, including a budget that approaches $200 million, and he has played a central role in Illinois’ name-image-likeness strategy, expanding opportunities for Illinois student-athletes. He has become increasingly involved in fundraising and played a pivotal role in securing a $100 million gift announced in fall 2025, the largest in Illinois history. He leads Illinois’ facilities planning, highlighted by extensive upgrades to Gies Memorial Stadium, and serves as the athletic program’s primary representative in all head coach negotiations."
As for Stephenson, he "has been instrumental in developing a new structure for college football. He has overseen long-term budget planning for the Athletics Department, restructured student-athlete training and health, and advised the President and Board of Regents on how to adapt to industry disruption."
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma announces Roger Denny as new director of athletics
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Denny replaces Vice President and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione, who has been at OU since he was hired back in April of 1998. In that time, he's helped shape OU Athletics into the collegiate sports giant that it is today, hiring national championship-winning coaches in football (Bob Stoops) and softball (Patty Gasso), among others. He also guided the athletic department's transition from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference.
Castiglione's replacement as Director of Athletics was most recently the Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Operating Officer at Illinois. According to the press release, Denny is "a successful corporate attorney with deep legal background and athletics leadership experience at the University of Illinois, will lead OU Athletics to expand opportunities for student-athletes while building on OU’s tradition of championship excellence in a new era for one of college athletics’ most storied programs."
Denny has a bachelor’s degree from Southeast Missouri State University, a law degree from St. Louis University, and an LLM in tax from Washington University in St. Louis.
Additionally, the university announced that Randall Stephenson, former CEO of AT&T, "who has led large-scale organizations through disruptive change across business, media, and sports and who has served as Chair and Special Advisor to the President for OU Athletics since 2024, will remain in that position."
Prior to his time at Illinois, Denny "spent nearly 15 years practicing law, focusing on executive compensation, tax, corporate finance, and licensing. Before joining Illinois, he was a partner at SpencerFane LLP in St. Louis. His prior legal experience includes the representation of college athletics departments and sports businesses in a wide variety of critical and complex transactions, including executive compensation and collective bargaining matters. Denny’s legal experience also provides a foundation for leading major athletics programs, overseeing coaching contracts, managing complex operations, and identifying opportunities that expand student-athlete success in a disrupted college athletics landscape."
According to the press release, "Denny is the sport administrator for the football program, led by head coach Bret Bielema, which has won 19 games the last two seasons. Illinois’ four-year growth in season ticket sales, student season tickets, and average attendance is among the best in the country ... Denny oversees all athletics’ business operations at Illinois, including a budget that approaches $200 million, and he has played a central role in Illinois’ name-image-likeness strategy, expanding opportunities for Illinois student-athletes. He has become increasingly involved in fundraising and played a pivotal role in securing a $100 million gift announced in fall 2025, the largest in Illinois history. He leads Illinois’ facilities planning, highlighted by extensive upgrades to Gies Memorial Stadium, and serves as the athletic program’s primary representative in all head coach negotiations."
As for Stephenson, he "has been instrumental in developing a new structure for college football. He has overseen long-term budget planning for the Athletics Department, restructured student-athlete training and health, and advised the President and Board of Regents on how to adapt to industry disruption."
Quotes
- "College athletics is undergoing profound disruption that requires us to think well beyond conventional structures and roles. In Roger we have the next natural leader who understands both the complexity of the moment and the opportunities it presents. It is clear Roger will advance the bold vision needed for OU to continue leading in a highly dynamic environment." - University of Oklahoma president Joseph Harroz Jr. on new Athletics Director Roger Denny.
- "We have already seen the transformational difference Randall has made to OU Athletics with the success of football this past season. His continued engagement will ensure a smooth leadership transition to a new era of Sooner athletics." - Harroz Jr. on Chair and Special Advisor to the President for OU Athletics Randall Stephenson.
- "I want to thank the OU Board of Regents, President Harroz, and the search committee for their confidence and the thoughtful process that brought us together. Oklahoma has a proud tradition in college athletics, and I am honored to join a university that competes with purpose and pride. My focus will be on putting student-athletes first in everything we do, providing them the resources and support to excel in competition and in life. I looked forward to working with Randall, our coaches, staff, and the OU community to build on this legacy while winning national championships now and in the years ahead." - New Director of Athletics Roger Denny on being hired at OU.
- "Few industries have undergone as rapid and radical disruption as college athletics, and I am grateful for the bold actions that the Board of Regents and President Harroz have supported in our football operations. Roger is the ideal candidate to lead Sooner Athletics with his deep legal background serving both the professional and college sports industries. He is a proven operator with a competitive intensity and drive to win. His passion for college athletics, student-athletes, coaches, and staff is the right recipe to position OU for national championships." Stephenson on Denny's qualifications to be Oklahoma's new AD.
- "On behalf of Sooner Football, we are excited about the appointment of Roger Denny as the new leader of OU Athletics. We trust the process and vision that led President Harroz, Randall Stephenson, and the Board of Regents to this exciting hire. The college football landscape is constantly evolving and Roger is the type of adaptive innovator that will allow our program to maintain the expected level of excellence." General Manager for Football Jim Nagy on Denny's hiring.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma announces Roger Denny as new director of athletics
Continue reading...
