Athletic Director Jim Miller to transition to new role of assistant to the president for athletic advancement

July 12, 2012

Athletic Director Jim Miller, who guided the University of Richmond’s unprecedented athletic and academic success throughout a 12-year tenure, will transition from his current role to the newly established role of assistant to the president for athletic advancement.

Miller will focus on athletic alumni relations and raising funds to address athletic priorities, including goals contained in both The Richmond Promise and new athletic strategic plan. He will continue to serve as athletic director until a successor is in place.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to have served as director of athletics at the University of Richmond,” said Miller. “I want to thank the many Spider donors who made our success possible and the university administrators, staff and faculty who were great partners in accomplishing that success.” 

“Most of all, I want to express my utmost appreciation and admiration to the more than 1,000 Spider student-athletes who passed through the Robins Center during my 12-plus years as athletic director. I am looking forward to this opportunity to assume a new role that will allow me to continue to make a significant, positive impact on Spider athletics.”

“Jim Miller has done a terrific job for the University of Richmond,” said Dr. Edward Ayers, president of the University of Richmond. “Under his leadership, we have seen our student-athletes perform with national distinction in the classroom as well as on the field and the court. Jim is uniquely equipped to help us lay the foundations for athletics excellence for generations to come, and I look forward to working closely with him in his new role.”

Among the successes during Miller’s 12 years as Richmond’s director of athletics:

  • Spearheading the move to the nationally-recognized Atlantic 10 Conference as a full member in 2001, which has resulted in 44 league titles.
  • Three men’s basketball NCAA appearances, including the Sweet 16 in 2011.
  • A national championship in football in 2008 and four conference football titles.
  • Spider student-athletes are annually recognized nationally for their academic success, and every team has recorded its highest annual GPA.
  • Head coaches hired during Miller’s tenure have won 28 coach-of-the-year honors.
  • Bringing Spider football to campus after 81 years off campus, with the opening of Robins Stadium in 2010.
  • Every athletic venue has been enhanced, including the Robins Center, which is in the initial phase of a 15-million dollar renovation project for the seating area and concourses.
  • Spider Club membership and donations are at an all-time high.
  • Corporate partnerships with IMG and Nike.

During his tenure, Miller also served on various NCAA and conference committees, including the NCAA FCS (formerly I-AA) Football Committee, NCAA Leadership Council and chairman of the Atlantic 10 Finance Committee.

Before joining Richmond, Miller was associate athletic director at NC State University.

Miller has been actively involved in college athletics for more than 30 years. He played basketball and baseball at Old Dominion University.

He received a master of science degree in education from ODU and a law degree from William & Mary. He worked for a Norfolk law firm before becoming president of Sports Management Services, a sports marketing firm in Virginia Beach, from 1988 until he joined NC State.

Jim and his wife, Celia, live in Richmond. Their daughter, Gray, a graduate of Furman University, lives in Richmond and is director of volunteer services for Special Olympics Virginia.