Press Release

Oglethorpe University Names New Athletic Director

ATLANTA – Oglethorpe University President Larry Large announces that Jay Gardiner has been named athletic director at Oglethorpe, one of the leading liberal arts universities in the Southeast. Gardiner was the associate athletic director for development at Miami University at Ohio since 2001. Previously, Gardiner was the athletic director at Bellarmine College, a Division II institution in Louisville, Ky., for three years, where he oversaw a complete athletic facility renovation for the school’s 16 sports.    

“I am extremely pleased to have someone with Jay’s experience to lead Oglethorpe’s athletic program,” says President Large. “We are focused on raising the caliber of all of our student programs to meet the expectations of today’s collegians. The depth of Jay’s experience both in managing athletic programs and in fundraising make him a perfect fit for Oglethorpe.” 

During Gardiner’s tenure at Miami University, he raised $20 million for the renovation of the school’s football stadium and scholarship endowments, which was the most money raised in school history for athletics. He oversaw a 15 percent increased membership to the Red and White Club in each of the past two years, and he was a member of the athletic department’s advisory council.

A native of New Orleans, Gardiner earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Western Maryland College in 1979. As an undergraduate, Gardiner lettered in basketball and lacrosse. Prior to joining Miami University, Gardiner was responsible for doubling the membership and total annual giving of the Green Wave Athletic Association during his stint at Tulane University as associate athletic director. Prior to his work at Tulane, Gardiner started his collegiate career in 1985 at Division III St. Mary’s College of Maryland, working his way from the position of men’s head basketball coach to athletic director in four years.

“Jay is a proven national leader in university athletics. He will uplift our sports program to mirror our academic excellence,” says Timothy Doyle, Oglethorpe’s dean of students and vice president for student affairs. “His dynamic personality and deep experience will make him a visionary leader for the Stormy Petrels.”

John Ratliff, who was Oglethorpe’s most recent athletic director, returned to Keene State University for family reasons.

Oglethorpe University, founded in 1835, has a total enrollment of approximately 1,100. Its students represent 36 states and 21 countries. The average SAT score is 1200, and 43 percent of the freshmen graduated in the top ten percent of their high school classes. Oglethorpe University plays in the NCAA Division III Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. Oglethorpe University is a member of the Annapolis Group, an organization of America’s most selective 100 liberal arts institutions, the only such institution in Georgia that is co-educational.

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