Sources confirmed to Griffin Media Sports Director Toby Rowland that the University of Oklahoma is set to hire Roger Dennyas its next Athletics Director. A formal announcement is expected next week.
Sources have confirmed to me that OU will hire Illinois Deputy AD/COO Roger Denny as the Sooners new Athletics Director. A formal announcement will be made next week.
— Toby Rowland (@TRowOU) January 23, 2026
Denny currently serves as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director for the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Illinois, a role he has held since July 2021.
He will replace longtime OU Athletics Director Joe Castiglione, who announced his retirement in July 2025.
Joe Castiglione, the University of Oklahoma’s esteemed Director of Athletics, is set to announce his retirement during a press conference on July 8, 2025, marking the end of a transformative tenure that has reshaped the university’s athletic landscape since 1998.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel also reported the hire, noting that Denny interviewed on campus twice and that a deal is expected to be finalized in the near future.
Sources: Oklahoma is targeting Illinois deputy athletic director/COO Roger Denny to be the school’s next athletic director. He’s interviewed on campus twice, and a deal is expected to be completed in the upcoming days. pic.twitter.com/wzyM2c5Wdc
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 23, 2026
Current role at Illinois
Denny was named Chief Operating Officer and Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director in July 2021 and serves as the sport administrator for the Fighting Illini football program.
In his role as COO, Denny oversees the department’s internal operations, including:
- Business office
- Facilities and capital projects
- Human resources
- Data and business intelligence
- Sports technology units
He also supervises Illinois’ revenue operations, including:
- Corporate sponsorships and licensing
- Public facilities management (State Farm Center, Atkins Tennis Center, Atkins Golf Club, Orange and Blue Golf Courses, and the Armory)
- Housing, parking, and athletics camps and clinics
Education
- Bachelor’s degree — Southeast Missouri State University
- Law degree — Saint Louis University School of Law
- LL.M. in tax law — Washington University in St. Louis School of Law
Legal and professional background
An attorney with nearly 15 years of legal experience, Denny previously worked as a partner at national law firm Spencer Fane LLP in St. Louis beginning in 2015.
His legal work included:
- Executive compensation and taxation
- Private equity and corporate finance
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Real estate development
- Sports business transactions
Personal background
Denny is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. He and his wife, Alecia, live in Champaign, Illinois, with their twin sons, Trey and Michael.
