Duke University today named Nina E. King as the school’s next Director of Athletics, effective September 1. She will be the first woman, the first Black person, and the first person of color to serve in the role.
King, who currently serves as Duke’s senior deputy director of athletics for administration and legal affairs, has held various leadership roles with Duke Athletics since 2008. She will succeed Kevin White, who is retiring after serving as Duke’s Director of Athletics for the past thirteen years.
In a statement, King said that she is “deeply committed to continuing the strong tradition of academic and athletic excellence at our world-class institution,” and that she looks forward to “ushering Duke Athletics into the next chapter.” She echoed similar sentiments on Twitter.
Thrilled for this incredible new opportunity! Love my Duke family and so excited to continue our tradition of excellence. #GoDuke https://t.co/zBseGelfhb
— nina king (@ninaking22) May 19, 2021
A lawyer by training, King has held a number of roles within Duke Athletics over the past thirteen years. She has served as the chief operating officer for Duke Athletics, with direct responsibility for human resources, Recreation and Physical Education, legal and regulatory affairs, as well as strategic planning and special projects. She also oversees Duke’s women’s basketball and football programs.
In addition, King co-teaches a sports business course in Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. She also championed the creation and launch of the Rubenstein-Bing ACE program, a collaboration between Stanford and Duke for global civic engagement for student-athletes from both athletics departments.
King has received a number of accolades throughout her career thus far, including being named to Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 Class of 2018. Later that year, she was tapped to the Leaders Under 40 Class of 2018, honoring sports business executives from around the world. In 2019, Sports Business Journal named King among the leading power players in college sports, while Adidas selected her to the “Next Up” class in 2016, which recognized senior-level administrators ready to take the next step as athletic directors.
When she steps into her new role, King will join Vanderbilt’s Candice Storey Lee and Virginia’s Carla Williams as Black female directors of athletics at Power 5 institutions.
