For Virginia Tech’s new athletic director, college sports is the family business.
The Hokies officially announced Brian White as the school’s new AD on Monday night, completing a nearly two-month search process after Whit Babcock retired from the position and entered an emeritus role.
The 42-year-old White comes from Florida Atlantic, where he’s held the director of athletics position since 2018. He's the seventh Virginia Tech AD since the 1950s, following Frank Moseley, Bill Dooley, Dutch Baughman, Dave Braine, Jim Weaver and Babcock.
"I am deeply grateful to Rector Jim Miller, President Tim Sands, Lynne Doughtie and the entire search committee for the trust they have placed in me to lead Virginia Tech Athletics," White said in the release. "Virginia Tech is one of the distinctive brands in college athletics, and the passion of Hokie Nation, the commitment of university leadership and the momentum already underway make this an extraordinary opportunity.
“Few institutions in college athletics possess the combination of tradition, passion, institutional support and untapped potential that exists at Virginia Tech. I am excited to partner with Coach James Franklin as we continue building a championship-caliber football program. That same commitment to success will extend across all 22 sports as we work alongside our exceptional head coaches, dedicated staff and talented student-athletes to compete for championships. Together, we will pursue excellence relentlessly, strengthen our competitive position and elevate Virginia Tech Athletics to new heights."
White's official start date is June 24, coinciding with an introductory news conference in Lane Stadium.
Athletics runs in the White family. His father, Kevin, was a long-time administrator who served as the AD at Arizona State, Notre Dame and Duke over a 25-year period, retiring with the Blue Devils in 2021.
He has two older brothers in athletics. Mike has been the men’s basketball coach at Georgia for the last four years after previously being in charge at Florida, while Danny has been Tennessee’s AD since 2021 after holding the job at UCF for six years.
Brian advanced Florida Atlantic athletics over his eight years in Boca Raton, guiding the school into the American Conference from Conference USA in 2023 and making a substantial basketball hire shortly after he was hired in 2018.
Less than a month into his time at FAU, White tabbed Dusty May as hoops coach, plucking him from his brother’s staff at Florida. May went 126-69 in six seasons, guiding the Owls to 35 wins, a conference title and the school’s first Final Four appearance in 2023. He left for Michigan, where he won a national championship this season, and earlier Monday took the head coaching job with the Dallas Mavericks.
FAU boasted record highs in fundraising and corporate sponsorships in the wake of the Final Four run, bringing in $26.4 million in gifts in 2024-25 — a 625 percent increase since 2021.
He negotiated a partnership with Playfly Sports as a multimedia rights holder in 2023, more than doubling the Owls’ previous sponsorship revenue. (Playfly is a Virginia Tech partner as well.) Additionally, he negotiated the largest publicly-known football stadium naming rights deal in the American Conference in 2024, securing a 15-year, $22.5-million deal with Flagler Credit Union.
FAU has also made several investments into athletics on his watch, opening the $72 million Schmidt Family Complex for Academic and Athletic Excellence in 2020. It houses the football program and academic support staff and features a spacious weight room. On his watch, the Owls received individual donations of $7.5 million (jumpstarting a new basketball practice facility) and $6 million (for an athletics village).
Under White, FAU teams combined for 23 NCAA postseason appearances and won 10 conference titles, though football success has been sparing. After Lane Kiffin left following the 2019 season, the Owls cycled through Willie Taggart, Tom Herman and Zack Kittley, never winning more than five games in a campaign.
Hokies football coach James Franklin played a large role in bringing in White, serving on the hiring committee.
“We are building real momentum at Virginia Tech," Franklin said in a release. "From Invest to Win, to the creation of Hokie Ventures, to the incredible philanthropic support from donors, the commitment to excellence across our university is stronger than ever. We were looking for a leader with impeccable character, along with the appetite and urgency to help our football program win at the highest levels. Brian embodies those qualities. I am confident our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans will quickly appreciate his passion for Virginia Tech, commitment to excellence and relentless drive to move our program forward.
“I am excited to partner with Brian as we continue building a championship-caliber football program and creating an outstanding experience for our student-athletes. The future is bright at Virginia Tech, and I look forward to what we can accomplish together on behalf of Hokie Nation.”
White, who told Sports Business Journal in a "Forty Under 40" feature three years ago that his favorite saying is PVO (positive vibes only), undertook several fan initiatives at FAU.
He started the Paradise Pricing model with the Owls, providing discounted concessions in certain stands, and helped create new field-level premium seating areas at FAU Stadium, with cabanas in both end zone seating areas.
Before FAU, he worked on Missouri’s senior leadership team from 2015-18, serving as deputy athletics director for external relations while being sport administrator for football and men’s basketball.
Prior to that, White spent time in athletic departments at Army (2014-15, director for development and chief development officer), Tulsa (2014, overseeing fundraising efforts) and Louisiana Tech (2012-14, as director for external affairs).
Before getting into athletics administration, he was a senior account executive for five years at IMG College, a collegiate sports marketing company.
A native of Dubuque, Iowa, White has a bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame (2006) and earned a master’s in business administration at Ohio (2009).
White and his wife, Paige, have two daughters, Callahan and Emerson and a son, Eamon.