University of Notre Dame Vice President and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua ‘93 has announced a reorganization of the Athletics Department at the highest level, to better align with the future of the organization. Former football student-athlete, coach and current football administrator Ron Powlus ‘97 has been named the first Chief Operating Officer (COO) in the department’s storied history. In addition to Powlus’ promotion, Garrett Chapman has been named a Deputy Athletics Director in charge of the financial division and Katie Capps has been named a senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator in waiting.
“The college athletics ecosystem is changing at the fastest rate in its history and this reorganization will give us the best opportunity to continue to provide an authentic and rewarding Notre Dame student-athlete experience,” said Bevacqua. “Moving Ron (Powlus) into the COO role will bring the amazing leadership that he’s consistently exhibited with our football program to the entire athletic department. I couldn’t be more excited to see how Ron leads his new divisions and how our new executive leadership team coalesces and moves us into the future at full speed.”
Powlus’ day-to-day oversight of the football program and the department’s name, image and likeness division remains unchanged, while he adds sports performance, internal operations, equipment and facilities to his purview.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue serving this great university and athletic department,” Powlus said. “Notre Dame is a special place for me and my family and I’m energized to work with such outstanding student-athletes and staff who are joined in our shared mission of excellence and to be a force for good in the World.”
With his promotion to lead the department’s financial division, Chapman will join Powlus and fellow deputy athletic directors Jenny Borg, Aaron Horvath and Jody Sadler on the University’s Athletics Executive Leadership Team as a direct report to Bevacqua. In his role, he will serve as the chief financial strategist, aligning fiscal planning with institutional priorities and positioning the University competitively in an ever evolving intercollegiate athletics landscape.
“Elevating Garrett (Chapman) into this role is crucial for the long-term success of Athletics here at Notre Dame,” Bevacqua said. “His ability to conceptualize the needs of our department and communicate with our partners on campus is critical in order for us to maintain the great trajectory we are on.”
Rounding out the promotions within Bevacqua’s first reorganization, is the movement of Capps to senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator (SWA) upon the retirement of longtime Notre Dame leader Missy Conboy in June. In her new role, she will oversee centralized services, facilities and equipment, while also holding the SWA title. Her appointment as SWA makes her just the second to hold the title at Notre Dame in the history of the position.