Amid the recent news that Syracuse Orange athletics director John Wildhack will retire on July 1, after nearly 10 years in that position, SU chancellor Kent Syverud has named a search committee to find Wildhack's replacement. Syverud, by the way, is also leaving the Hill by July 1 to become the next president at the University of Michigan.
The search committee will be chaired by SU alum Steve Ballentine, who is a member of the Syracuse University board of trustees and chairs the board's athletics committee. Other members of the search committee are:
•SU alum John Lally, who is on the Syracuse University board
•Ian McIntyre, the head coach of Syracuse men's soccer
•SU alum Raquel-Ann “Roxi” Nurse McNabb, who is on the SU board and is married to former Syracuse football star quarterback Donovan McNabb
•Gabe Nugent, SU's senior vice president and general counsel
•Sarah Scalese, SU's vice president of communications
•SU alum and acclaimed sportscaster Mike Tirico, who is vice chair of Syracuse University's board
Per the release from SU, the search committee will gather input from athletes, coaches, Syracuse Athletics staff, faculty, alumni and other stakeholders. Supporting Syracuse University in this national search will be Raleigh, N.C.-based CSA Search & Consulting.
Says Ballentine: “This search process will be both comprehensive and expeditious."
Four potential candidates to be Syracuse's next athletics director.
I have absolutely no inside information here, but based on what I've read on social media and in chat rooms among fellow Orange fans and others commenting on this topic, here are four names to perhaps monitor regarding Wildhack's replacement.
Tom Theodorakis, athletics director at Army
Theodorakis became the athletics director at Army in February of last year. He had previously worked in athletics departments at schools such as Harvard, Arizona and UCLA. Theodorakis is an SU alum (class of 2006), and he played for Syracuse men's lacrosse, winning a national title in 2004. Theodorakis is from Stony Brook, N.Y., on Long Island.
Dr. Andrew Goodrich, athletics director at Akron
Goodrich was named Akron's athletics director in May of last year. Before that, for three years, he was the athletics director at Gardner-Webb. From 2018 to 2022, Goodrich was the deputy director of athletics and chief marketing officer at Syracuse. He also served on Syverud’s University Leadership Team and Wildhack’s Executive Cabinet.
Reggie Terry, senior associate athletics director at Boston College
Terry has been in this role with the Eagles for three years. He joined fellow ACC member Boston College in 2013. Before that, he served as the director of football administration for the NFL's Arizona Cardinals. A native of Hempstead, N.Y., on Long Island, Terry played linebacker for Syracuse football and graduated from SU in 1993. He spent 14 seasons on the Hill in his professional career, first as Syracuse football's director of football operations and player development before becoming SU's associate athletics director for football operations.
Heather Lyke, special advisor to the chancellor and athletic director at SU
Lyke was named to this role on July 1, 2025. She has served as the athletics director at fellow Atlantic Coast Conference school Pittsburgh and Eastern Michigan. She also held various positions in athletics and administration at Ohio State and Cincinnati. Lyke was previously the acting president and CEO of the FBS Athletics Directors Association.