Date of Award
8-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Educational Leadership
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Sarah Stokowski
Committee Member
Dr. Bob Brookover
Committee Member
Dr. Tony Cawthon
Committee Member
Dr. Michael Godfrey
Abstract
NCAA athletic directors are operating in a time of significant changes brought on by recent legal and financial developments, including the House v. NCAA case. This case has created structural changes to intercollegiate athletics, including backpay damages associated with name, image, and likeness (NIL), deregulated scholarship limits, and new revenue-sharing models for student-athletes. These changes demand strategic leadership while athletic directors navigate evolving legal standards, financial uncertainty, and institutional alignment in an increasingly complex environment and higher education industry.
While past research had examined leadership theory in intercollegiate athletics and higher education broadly, there is a gap in understanding how athletic directors are adapting their leadership approaches in response to external pressures. This study addresses the gap in existing literature by focusing on leadership strategies employed by athletic directors and their working relationships with university presidents as a result of House v. NCAA.
This study utilized strategic leadership theory as a framework to emphasize the capacity for athletic directors to create long-term outcomes with decision-making under uncertainty, utilization of vision and adaptability, and with alignment of institutional mission and values. Within this framework, the athletic director is viewed as a strategic partner with institutional leadership, and specifically the university president, in influencing organizational outcomes and alignment with institutional governance and values.
This study utilized qualitative research design, employing semi-structured interviews with current NCAA Division I athletic directors and university presidents. Participants were selected using purposive sampling to ensure a diverse representation across institution types, athletic conferences, and leadership experiences. Interviews explored how leaders interpret the impact of external changes, how they are adapting strategy and structure, and how alignment between athletic directors and university presidents are being cultivated or challenged. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis informed by IPA principles, with first-cycle coding and second-cycle theme development used to identify patterns across participant experiences. This approach aimed to create a contextual understanding of how leaders are responding in real time to pressures that affect institutional mission, compliance, finance, and student-athlete experience.
The findings provide practical insight for athletic department leadership, university administrators and NCAA governance. This research aims to inform future policy making, support stronger collaboration between athletic and institutional leadership, and contribute to the broader literature on strategic leadership in higher education. This dissertation provides a timeline and necessary examination on how leaders in collegiate athletics are navigating complexity, institutional risk, and positioning their organizations for long-term viability.
Recommended Citation
Sabin, Eric, "Strategic Leadership in the Post-House Era: Examining the Evolving Relationship Between Athletic Directors and University Presidents" (2026). All Dissertations. 4362.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/4362