University of Oklahoma selects Roger Denny as athletic director, setting leadership transition from Joe Castiglione

Appointment follows national search as OU keeps Randall Stephenson in advisory post

The University of Oklahoma has appointed Roger Denny as its next Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Programs and Director of Athletics, a leadership change that comes as the department prepares for the transition from longtime athletics director Joe Castiglione. The university announced the decision on Jan. 23, 2026, describing the hire as a pivotal move amid broad structural change across college sports.

Denny becomes OU’s 12th athletic director and is set to succeed Castiglione, who previously announced plans to step away from day-to-day leadership at the end of the 2025–26 academic year. Castiglione has led OU athletics for more than two decades, overseeing a period that included major fundraising, facilities expansion and national championship success across multiple sports.

Alongside the hire, OU confirmed that Randall Stephenson, a former AT&T chief executive who has served since 2024 as chair and special advisor to the OU president for athletics, will continue in that role during the transition.

Denny’s profile: legal background and Big Ten administrative experience

Denny arrives from the University of Illinois, where he has served as deputy director of athletics and chief operating officer. At Illinois, his portfolio included department operations and business strategy, as well as sport administration responsibilities for football.

Before entering full-time collegiate athletics administration, Denny spent nearly 15 years practicing law, with work that included executive compensation, tax and corporate transactions. His legal experience has included work connected to sports organizations and athletics departments, experience OU leadership pointed to as relevant to an evolving landscape that increasingly involves complex contracts, compliance issues and new commercial structures.

• New role at OU: Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Programs and Director of Athletics
• Most recent post: Deputy Athletics Director and COO at the University of Illinois
• Professional background: corporate attorney with experience in sports-related transactions

What the transition signals for OU athletics governance

OU said Denny was selected after a national search conducted by a 12-member committee representing multiple parts of the university community. The university also indicated that Stephenson will remain involved as chair and special advisor, a structure OU has used to navigate long-term budget planning and organizational adjustments tied to the changing economics of college athletics.

Denny said his focus will be on supporting student-athletes and providing resources intended to help them succeed both competitively and academically.

Denny’s appointment places an administrator with both legal and operational experience in charge of one of the nation’s highest-profile athletics programs, as OU continues its early years in the Southeastern Conference and manages the expanding complexity of athlete support, revenue strategy and departmental governance.