Oberlin College Athletics

Former Delta Lodge Director of Athletics and Physical Education (2005-2011), Joe Karlgaard can be credited for drafting the blueprint of improvement for Oberlin College athletics and wellness.
 
He led a number of facility upgrades during his tenure, helping develop Robert Lewis Kahn Track and Fred Shults Field, Williams Field House, and Culhane Field into the elite venues they are today.  Karlgaard was instrumental in fine-tuning the makeup and operations of the Heisman Club along with restructured support for club sports and a campus-wide campaign for wellness.
 
As the leader of the department, Karlgaard led an unparalleled rise in varsity sports. Oberlin set institutional records in the North Coast Athletic Conference All-Sports Trophy in 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011. During his tenure, 12 of 22 varsity programs achieved their highest conference placement in school history. Eleven Oberlin athletes were named conference players of the year, and more than 400 were named to all-conference teams.
 
Following his departure from the College, Karlgaard returned to his alma mater of Stanford University where he served as senior associate athletics director for development. There he was responsible for helping set the strategic direction for a $90 million annual budget and led a staff of 14 in delivering the greatest single-year in the school's fundraising history of $52 million in 2012.
 
Named one of SportsBusiness Journal's "40-under-40" in March of 2014, Karlgaard is now in his fourth year as Rice University's Director of Athletics, Recreation and Lifetime Fitness.
 
Since arriving on the Houston-based campus, he has continued to raise the bar in terms of fundraising and facilities. In 2016, the school opened the $33 million Brian Patterson Sports Performance Center at Rice Stadium and also showcased a $2 million renovation to the Wendel D. Ley track.
 
In three years, commitments to the Owl Club have increased by 44 percent while overall donors increased by 73 percent. There has also been an increase in gifts of 116 percent.
 
A 1996 graduate of Stanford with a bachelor's degree in history, Karlgaard was a four-year letter winner in track and field for the Cardinal. He would later earn a Ph.D. in educational policy and administration from the University of Minnesota in 2005.
 
Karlgaard and his wife Jill have three sons, Charlie and twins Lucas and Daniel.