Utah State Announces AD Diana Sabau Leaving Logan For Maryland
Jul 9, 2025, 9:20 AM
Utah State AD Diana Sabau steps down to accept a position with the University of Maryland Athletics Department.
LOGAN, Utah – Utah State University is once again without a full-time President or a Director of Athletics after Diana Sabau stepped down to accept a position at the University of Maryland.
Utah State announced the move on Wednesday, July 9.
“I deeply appreciate Diana Sabau for her exceptional leadership and the significant momentum she has built within the USU athletic program,” said Interim President Al Smith. “From guiding the university through its transition from the Mountain West to the Pac-12 to leading the most ambitious athletics fundraising campaign in our university’s history, Diana has positioned USU strongly on the national stage and laid a solid foundation for future success.”
Welcome, Diana Sabau!
Veteran Big Ten executive Diana Sabau has been named Senior Deputy Athletic Director for Maryland Athletics.
Full release: https://t.co/YaeFbrozD2 pic.twitter.com/MFAYYttcMH
— Maryland Terrapins (@umterps) July 9, 2025
Sabau oversaw tremendous change at Utah State in her less than two years with the school.
- Accepted Pac-12 invite in September 2024
- Athletics programs won six conference championships
- Men’s basketball
- Women’s volleyball
- Men’s tennis
- Women’s soccer x2
- Gymnastics
- Helped start the Reach and Rise campaign, the most ambitious fundraising initiative in Aggie history.
- Guided football program through the termination of Blake Anderson and hiring of interim HC Nate Dreiling.
- Oversaw hiring of multiple coaches, including football HC Bronco Mendenhall, men’s basketball HC Jerrod Calhoun, and women’s basketball coach Wesley Brooks.
Utah State AD Diana Sabau announces some major gifts that have been received as a part of the first $28 million of the $125 million athletics “Reach and Rise Campaign” at USU, as the Aggies prepare to enter the PAC-12 in 2026! pic.twitter.com/AvQ6vtBdBm
— Vic Saunders (@OneTrueAggie) June 28, 2025
Diana Sabau thanks Utah State in statement
“I am grateful for my time at Utah State University and all we accomplished, from fundraising milestones to conference championships and success beyond the playing fields, including our outstanding academic accomplishments,” Sabau said.
She continued, “Our mission over the past two years has been to modernize the athletics department and position Utah State for long-term success while building a championship culture for USU student-athletes. I am extremely grateful to all of those who invested in our student-athletes and showed an energized commitment to revenue sharing and a modernized NIL structure. The department has grown and is well-prepared to thrive as it joins the new Pac-12 in 2026. The opportunity at the University of Maryland takes me back to a conference I love, and a high-functioning Power 4 environment in a region where I have spent most of my athletics career.”
Utah State Interim President Al Smith will begin an immediate search to find a short-term replacement to lead the program.
Following Utah State With KSL Sports Zone
Utah State kicks off the 2025 season on Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium on Saturday, August 30. Kickoff against the UTEP Miners is at 5:30 p.m. MT.
Listen to USU football games on KSL Sports Zone with Scott Garrard on the call.
Find KSL Sports coverage of Utah State University Athletics here.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
