May 7, 2024
MILWAUKEE — Marquette University Vice President and Director of Athletics Bill Scholl announced today his decision to retire once a successor is named following a national search. Scholl has served as vice president and director of athletics at Marquette since 2014.
“It has been an honor to work at such a special place surrounded by remarkable people,” Scholl said. “I am most proud of our student-athletes, who have excelled not only in competition but in the classroom and the community as women and men for others. My family and I deeply appreciate how this community has welcomed us from the start. Marquette will always have a special place in our hearts.”
Marquette student-athletes have excelled on the field/court and in the classroom during Scholl’s tenure. Over the past decade, Marquette won 20 team conference championships and was the winner of the 2016-17 BIG EAST President’s Award – earned by the institution that has excelled at the highest levels in academics, athletics and citizenship during the preceding academic year – for the first time in department history.
The 2022-23 academic year saw 75% of the university’s student-athletes named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team, which recognizes student-athletes who have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. The overall student-athlete GPA for that year was 3.45 and the student-athlete Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for the year was 96%. Of Marquette’s 16 Division I programs, eight posted a perfect GSR score of 1,000 for the cohort.
In 2020, Scholl was named an Under Armour AD of the Year Award recipient by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. He was one of 28 athletics directors recognized across seven divisions, but one of just four in the Division I-AAA category.
“I have valued Bill’s leadership and wisdom over the past decade. He cares deeply about our student-athletes, their well-being, and the people they become after graduating from Marquette,” President Michael R. Lovell said. “Bill is unique in his commitment to and success in integrating athletics with the university. Over the past 10 years, Bill has led with integrity and loyalty to Marquette and to our students.”
Intercollegiate Athletics has seen a great deal of success and growth under Scholl’s leadership. In 2019, the Athletic and Human Performance Research Center (AHPRC) opened, which houses offices, locker rooms and team space for golf and men’s and women’s lacrosse. The building also includes a state-of-the-art indoor training facility for men’s golf, a weight room and additional space for faculty researchers from a variety of academic fields, in addition to a centralized core of laboratories for conducting human performance research. The department is in the fundraising stage for Phase 2 of the AHPRC, which is projected to include state-of-the-art men’s basketball practice facilities, sports medicine space for student-athletes and locker rooms for Olympic sports teams.
In 2017, a $3.6 million seasonal dome was created to provide a climate-controlled competition and training space for the university’s intercollegiate athletic programs during the winter months. The seasonal structure provides an indoor training option for Marquette’s soccer, track and field and golf programs, as well as a training and competition venue for men’s and women’s lacrosse. All other varsity athletic programs, in addition to club and intramural sports, utilize the facility in some capacity as well.
Under Scholl’s leadership, more than $10 million has been raised for the various sports excellence funds, which guarantee the provision of ongoing support and ensure Marquette Athletics has the means to deliver exceptional student and staff experiences. These funds offer Marquette Athletics the flexibility to pursue emerging priorities or unexpected opportunities as well as address urgent needs.
Scholl arrived in Milwaukee after serving as director of athletics at Ball State from 2012 to 2014. During that period, eight programs reached the postseason and 13 teams placed either first or second in the Mid-American Conference.
Prior to his term at Ball State, Scholl served 23 years at Notre Dame, where he finished as deputy athletics director. He was responsible for administration of men’s basketball, football, baseball and men’s soccer, as well as fundraising and donor relations, budgeting and growing external revenue. Scholl collaborated with the university’s advancement office to lead the athletics department in an $84 million athletics fundraising initiative for the Spirit of Notre Dame campaign.
“Bill had two goals when he arrived at Marquette – to convey excellence and responsibility within the athletics department, and to provide for, nurture and develop student-athletes,” President Lovell said. “He achieved those goals and contributed to the legacy of our athletics program in countless ways that have benefited our student-athletes, coaches and athletics staff, and for that, our Marquette community will always be grateful. I appreciate all he has done for our athletics program and for Marquette University. Amy and I will miss him and his wife Julie greatly.”
The university will conduct a national search for a permanent replacement, which will begin immediately with the assistance of Collegiate Sports Associates. The search committee will be chaired by Dr. Kati Berg, associate professor and associate dean for academic affairs in the Diederich College of Communication and faculty athletics representative.
About Marquette University
Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university located near the heart of downtown Milwaukee that offers a comprehensive range of majors in 11 nationally and internationally recognized colleges and schools. Through the formation of hearts and minds, Marquette prepares our 11,100 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional students to lead, excel and serve as agents of positive change. And, we deliver results. Ranked in the top 20% of national universities, Marquette is recognized for its undergraduate teaching, innovation and career preparation as the sixth-best university in the country for job placement. Our focus on student success and immersive, personalized learning experiences encourages students to think critically and engage with the world around them. When students graduate with a Marquette degree, they are truly prepared and called to Be The Difference.
Kevin is the associate director for university communication in the Office of University Relations. Contact Kevin at (414) 288-4745 or kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu.
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