Virginia Tech has found a replacement for the retiring athletic director Whit Babcock.
Last week, the university announced the appointment of Brian White as vice president and director of athletics, selecting a “nationally respected leader to help drive the university’s vision for sustained excellence, competitive success and long-term growth in a rapidly evolving era of college athletics”.
White brings over two decades of high-level collegiate athletics experience to the Commonwealth following an eight-year stint (2018-26) as vice president and director of athletics at Florida Atlantic. Previously, White was the deputy athletics director for external relations at Missouri (2015-18), the associate athletics director for development and chief development officer at Army West Point (2014-15), oversaw all athletics fundraising efforts at Tulsa (2014) and was the associate athletics director for external affairs at Louisiana Tech University (2012-14).
As vice president and director of athletics, White will oversee Virginia Tech’s 22-sport athletics department and lead the university’s efforts to compete and thrive in a rapidly evolving collegiate athletics environment.
Current university president Tim Sands said the search centered on identifying the right person to navigate one of the most significant periods of change in the history of college athletics and position Virginia Tech to thrive for decades to come.
“Brian brings the strategic vision, operational excellence, financial acumen and leadership presence necessary to guide a modern athletics enterprise. He understands where college athletics is headed, and he shares our belief that Virginia Tech can and should compete among the nation’s elite programs,” he said.
Florida Atlantic entered the American Conference in July 2023 as White played a pivotal role in one of the most influential athletics advancements in school history. The move to the American came on the heels of the historic men’s basketball season in 2022-23 that saw the Owls capture the nation’s attention and energize a fan base by winning 35 games, claiming a conference title and advancing to the Final Four for the first time in school history.
In total under White, Owl teams have combined for 26 NCAA postseason/bowl appearances and 11 conference titles, including championships from men’s soccer, softball and beach volleyball in the last two years. His high-profile coaching hires have included Dusty May, John Jakus, Zach Kittley and Jordan Clark, who in just three seasons, led softball to back-to-back American Conference regular season titles in 2024 and 2025.
“I am deeply grateful to Rector Jim Miller, President Tim Sands, Lynne Doughtie and the entire search committee for the trust they have placed in me to lead Virginia Tech Athletics,” White said.
“Virginia Tech is one of the distinctive brands in college athletics, and the passion of Hokie Nation, the commitment of university leadership and the momentum already underway make this an extraordinary opportunity,” the new athletic director said.
“Few institutions in college athletics possess the combination of tradition, passion, institutional support and untapped potential that exists at Virginia Tech. I am excited to partner with Coach James Franklin as we continue building a championship-caliber football program. That same commitment to success will extend across all 22 sports as we work alongside our exceptional head coaches, dedicated staff and talented student-athletes to compete for championships. Together, we will pursue excellence relentlessly, strengthen our competitive position and elevate Virginia Tech Athletics to new heights.”
In addition to success on the field, White helped FAU achieve unprecedented fundraising success. The school showed more than $26 million in support was recorded in FY2024-2025.
Virginia Tech football coach James Franklin believes White will be great leader to move the school forward, especially in building the philanthropic support from donors. Franklin was a part of the search committee.
“We were looking for a leader with impeccable character, along with the appetite and urgency to help our football program win at the highest levels. Brian embodies those qualities. I am confident our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans will quickly appreciate his passion for Virginia Tech, commitment to excellence and relentless drive to move our program forward,” the football coach said.
“I am excited to partner with Brian as we continue building a championship-caliber football program and creating an outstanding experience for our student-athletes. The future is bright at Virginia Tech, and I look forward to what we can accomplish together on behalf of Hokie Nation.”
White’s family is highly respected in collegiate athletics. His father, Kevin, retired from his role as Duke University’s vice president and director of athletics in 2021; his oldest brother, Mike, is the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Georgia; brother, Danny, is the director of athletics at the University of Tennessee.
