Altius Sports Partners Names Veteran Athletics Leader Rick Hart as Senior Advisor
NEW YORK, NY, December 5, 2025 – Altius Sports Partners (Altius), a leading advisor to collegiate athletics programs and top-tier brands, today announced the appointment of Rick Hart, one of the most accomplished and respected athletics directors in the country and a two-time NACDA Athletics Director of the Year, as Senior Advisor.
In this role, Hart will be an active partner across Altius school relationships, helping shape strategic plans, sharpen leadership strategy, and accelerate key initiatives tied to revenue generation, commercial growth, and organizational improvement. As Altius expands its capabilities across these areas, he will work closely with campus leaders to design and execute strategic frameworks that strengthen alignment, improve decision-making and drive measurable results. Drawing on his network and decades of industry experience, he will expand the insight and hands-on support Altius delivers to its partners.
Hart served as Director of Athletics at Southern Methodist University from 2012-25, where he led the program into the Atlantic Coast Conference and oversaw its first appearance in the College Football Playoff. Before arriving at SMU, he spent six years as Director of Athletics at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, following seven years in leadership roles at the University of Oklahoma and earlier positions at North Carolina, East Carolina, and the U.S. Olympic Committee. Recognized nationally for his operational command and long-range strategic vision, he has built a career defined by elevating programs, unifying stakeholders, and steering institutions through major transitions.
“Rick is one of the most respected leaders in college athletics. He has the network, the trust, and the credibility that only comes from years in the chair, guiding programs through high-stakes decisions,” said Andrew Donovan, President of Altius Sports Partners. “Bringing him onto our team strengthens the perspective and support we provide to partners and adds invaluable experience to our advisory bench.”
“I believe in Altius’ people, purpose, and plan,” said Hart. “I am excited to partner with the team to deliver services that help athletics departments turn complex challenges into competitive advantages in this ever-evolving landscape. Altius collaborates with schools to thoughtfully prepare for success, spot opportunities for excellence, and build innovative strategies.”
Since its launch in 2020, Altius has grown from an NIL pioneer into a trusted strategic advisor for athletics departments and brands across the country. Backed by underdog and company, and alongside affiliate agencies B. Partners, BeCore and underdog venture team, the firm brings together experts across strategy, partnerships, revenue generation, governance, and operations, having advised more than 50 Division I programs – including more than half of the Power 4 – and supporting blue-chip brands like Powerade, MasterCard and Verizon.
Hart joins Altius at a time when the firm is continuing to strengthen its leadership bench. Under Donovan, the team now includes former Buffalo Bills EVP/COO Ron Raccuia, former FC Cincinnati Chief Commercial Officer and Pegula Sports & Entertainment executive John Durbin, sports law authority Gabe Feldman, former Pac-12 Networks SVP Bob Keyser, longtime Learfield executive Tyler Reichwein, and Co-Founder and Managing Director of underdog and company, Dan Mannix. Altius also has senior talent embedded on campus, including Kim DeCarolis at Georgia and Terése Whitehead at Michigan, giving the firm a deep, experienced roster that provides schools and brands with comprehensive, informed support.
###
About Rick Hart
A two-time NACDA Athletics Director of the Year (2020 & 2025), Rick Hart served as SMU’s Director of Athletics from 2012 to 2025. During his tenure as the CEO of SMU Athletics, Hart transformed the department, guiding the Mustangs into the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and securing their first College Football Playoff appearance.
During Hart’s time on the Hilltop, with the support of SMU’s President and Board of Trustees, SMU repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to “Shaping Champions,” providing a best-in-class student-athlete experience while competing with integrity at the highest level of college athletics.
His strategic vision, known as “The SMU Advantage,” emphasized comprehensive excellence and values of service, passion, integrity, respect, innovation, and teamwork, aligning athletics with the university’s bold academic and co-curricular mission. That approach helped deliver championship-caliber coaching hires, sustained competitive success, and a rise in national prominence that solidified his reputation as one of the most impactful leaders in college athletics.
He currently serves on the NACDA Board of Directors and previously served as NACDA President in 2022 to 2023. His leadership experience also includes roles on the NACDA Executive Committee, the NCAA Division I Championship and Sports Management Cabinet, the FCS Athletics Directors Association Executive Committee, and the D1-A Athletics Directors’ Institute faculty.
Before arriving at SMU, he spent six years as Director of Athletics at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, preceded by seven years at Oklahoma and earlier roles at North Carolina, East Carolina, and the U.S. Olympic Committee.
He and his wife, Allison, both graduates of North Carolina, are the proud parents of Trevor, a fourth-generation athletics administrator and SMU and Northwestern graduate, and Caroline (Carly), an SMU graduate. His family carries a deep legacy in college sports: his father, Dave, served as Athletics Director at Tennessee, Florida State, and East Carolina, and his late grandfather, Dave Sr., held roles as a coach, athletics director, and conference commissioner.
Media Contact
press@altiussp.com