Vice President and Director of Athletics Larry Williams informed Interim President Robert A. Wild, S.J., of his resignation today to pursue leadership opportunities outside of Marquette. Williams has served in his role overseeing the university's Department of Intercollegiate Athletics for the past two years and served on the University Leadership Council.

"We want to thank Larry for leading our student-athletes, coaches and athletic staff in our 16 competitive athletic programs for the past two years," Father Wild said. "We appreciate Larry's contributions to Marquette University, particularly for leading us into the newly reconfigured Big East and helping establish a unique partnership with Fox Sports. We wish him nothing but success in his future."

Bill Cords, who presided over Marquette's athletics programs for nearly 20 years (1987–2006), will serve as interim vice president and director of athletics until a replacement is named. During his tenure, Cords expanded sports offerings at the Division I level, added and improved athletic facilities including the Al McGuire Center and Valley Fields, oversaw athletic and academic achievement, and, most notably, engineered Marquette's move from independent status ultimately to the Big East Conference.

Cords will build on the momentum of an extremely successful inaugural fall season in the new Big East that saw the men's and women's soccer teams and women's volleyball team all win Big East and regular season tournament titles and each produce an Academic All-American.

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