OSU athletic director announces retirement after nearly two decades

Photo via Ohio State Buckeyes’ Facebook

Almost 20 years after taking over as the school’s eighth athletic director in 2005, Gene Smith announced he plans to retire in 2024.

Smith, who has served as a collegiate athletic director for more than 35 years overall (including stints at Arizona State, Eastern Michigan and Iowa State) announced yesterday that he plans to retire on June 30, 2024.

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“I believe that July 2024 is the right time to welcome new leadership to build upon what we have achieved and continue to build upon the great tradition of excellence in athletics and business advancement at Ohio State,” Smith said in a statement.

The Cleveland native and former Notre Dame defense side end has seen the Buckeyes has seen the Buckeyes claim nine NCAA national championships across multiple sports in his tenure.

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