Northwestern University has appointed a new athletic director, Derrick Gragg, to oversee the university’s sports strategy and help the university navigate coming changes in college sports.
The university announced Thursday that Gragg will become vice president for athletics strategy, after overseeing the athletics office as vice president for physical education and recreation since June 2021. He will remain in his role as athletics director until a successor is hired.
Gragg will advise university presidents and athletic directors as they navigate the changes that follow the roughly $2.8 billion settlement the NCAA and the top five conferences agreed to in a number of antitrust lawsuits.
“Derrick has been a valuable asset to Northwestern over the past few years, and under his leadership, our athletics department has achieved great things both on and off the field,” Northwestern President Michael Schill said. “Furthermore, after an investigation uncovered bullying within our football program, Derrick helped our school recover and prepare for a new era of excellence.”
Northwestern University fired longtime football coach Pat Fitzgerald in July 2023 after 17 seasons amid a bullying scandal that has led to more than a dozen lawsuits across multiple sports over allegations of sexual abuse by teammates, racist comments and race-based assault by coaches.
Gragg took the AD job after Mike Poliskey resigned amid backlash after being named in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against the Big Ten school by former Wildcats cheerleaders.
