HOUSTON – Rice University President David Leebron announced Monday that Joe Karlgaard will be the school's next director of athletics, recreation and lifetime fitness.
Karlgaard currently serves as senior associate athletics director for development at Stanford University. Prior to Stanford, Karlgaard was athletics director at Oberlin College from 2005 to 2011.
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Karlgaard will start at Rice on Oct. 7.
"We're thrilled to be able to attract someone with Joe's breadth of experience," Leebron said. "He brings the values of academic excellence and high integrity that define Rice, coupled with a passionate desire to compete successfully at the most competitive level of intercollegiate athletics."
Karlgaard is a Stanford graduate with a B.A. in history. He was a four-year letter winner as part of Stanford's NCAA champion track and field program. Karlgaard received a Ph.D. and master's degree in educational policy and administration from the University of Minnesota, where he also served as assistant coach for the men's track and field and cross country teams from 2000 to 2003.
Rick Mello has served as Rice's interim athletics director.