Pete Bevacqua to succeed Jack Swarbrick as Notre Dame AD - ESPN

Longtime Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick is stepping down next year and will be replaced by NBC Sports Chairman Pete Bevacqua, the school announced Thursday.

Bevacqua will leave NBC Sports at the end of the month to begin the transition at Notre Dame as special assistant to the president for athletics, ultimately replacing Swarbrick in the first quarter of 2024.

«It has been my privilege to work alongside Jack Swarbrick as he led Notre Dame to unprecedented success over the past 15 years while providing such an influential voice in college athletics, and I'm excited that we have such a talented and experienced leader in Pete Bevacqua to spend some time learning under Jack before assuming new leadership in one of America's most storied athletic programs,» university president John Jenkins said.

«At this time of great chaos and disruption in college athletics, it will be invaluable to have Pete join Jack and me in charting a future for Notre Dame athletics.»

Swarbrick has been Notre Dame's athletic director since 2008, becoming one of the most influential power brokers in college sports. He, along with three conference commissioners, helped craft the 12-team CFP model that has now been implemented for 2024.

He guided the Fighting Irish into the ACC in 2013, also landing the school's hockey program in the Big Ten in 2017. Notre Dame's football program has remained independent while playing five games per season against ACC opponents and having access to the College Football Playoff.

Notre Dame won eight team national championships during his tenure.

«It speaks volumes about Notre Dame and Father Jenkins' leadership that we can implement such a well-conceived succession plan and attract someone of Pete's talent