Utah athletic director Chris Hill announces retirement after 31 years

Utah athletic director Chris Hill announced on Monday that he would be retiring after serving 31 years as athletic director.

Hill, 68, announced the decision in a press conference at Utah on Monday morning.

Hill, the nation’s longest-tenured athletics director, was first hired as the AD in 1987. He will perhaps be best remembered for engineering Utah’s move to the Pac-12 and his hirings of Urban Meyer and Kyle Whittingham. He also hired Rick Majerus, who led the Utes to a NCAA championship appearance in 1998.

Utah AD Chris Hill announced he will retire.

— Kyle Bonagura (@BonaguraESPN) March 26, 2018

“Chris Hill leaves a tremendous legacy at the University of Utah,” said University of Utah President Ruth V. Watkins in a school news release. “Chris has embodied all the traits needed to build a successful program: a student advocate, a skilled negotiator, a solid administrator with a keen eye for talent, an excellent fundraiser and a passionate sports fan. His leadership and relentless drive to raise the caliber and quality of our athletic programs over his 31-year career helped earn the university an invitation to join the Pac-12 Conference— a milestone that has proven to be transformational for our entire campus.”