BYU Hires Brian Santiago As Athletic Director
May 13, 2025, 5:12 PM | Updated: 7:32 pm
PROVO, Utah – BYU has tapped Brian Santiago as the next athletic director.
Santiago moves up from the role of Deputy Athletic Director to Athletic Director.
Following a national search, Brigham Young University has appointed Brian Santiago as the university’s next director of athletics.https://t.co/UgVPMGV2I0 pic.twitter.com/N0kYFiYCUa
— BYU (@BYU) May 13, 2025
The school announced the move on Tuesday, May 13, three months after Tom Holmoe announced his decision to retire as AD.
“Following a national search, Brigham Young University has appointed Brian Santiago as the university’s next director of athletics,” the school stated.
Brian Santiago will be the next athletics director at BYU
“We are excited to build on the forward momentum and legacy of Tom Holmoe, who is retiring, with the appointment of Brian Santiago as BYU’s next director of athletics,” BYU President C. Shane Reese said. “Brian has a track record of leadership and an ability to lead BYU Athletics as we navigate the complex and rapidly evolving waters of college athletics. It’s become clear to me throughout this search process that Brian will seek to strengthen BYU’s academic and spiritual mission, and he understands how it blesses the lives of our student-athletes.”
Santiago has worked in BYU’s athletic department since 2001. He began his BYU career in 1997, working with the men’s basketball coaching staff under former head coach Steve Cleveland.
Santiago: “BYU is one of the premier athletic programs in the country”
“I am humbled and honored for this responsibility and privilege to work alongside our coaches, staff, student-athletes and all of Cougar Nation,” Brian Santiago said in a written statement. “BYU is one of the premier athletic programs in the country, but it is so much more than that—it is part of BYU’s sacred mission. We are blessed with incredible leadership in President C. Shane Reese and Vice President Keith Vorkink, as well as the university’s Board of Trustees chaired by the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are here to build student-athletes academically, athletically, spiritually and to prepare them to go make a difference in the world. As an athletic department, we stand united in this charge.”
BYU will hold a made-for-TV press conference introducing Brian Santiago as the new Athletic Director on Wednesday at 10 a.m. (MDT) at the BYU Broadcasting Building in Provo.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
