Georgia Tech hires Ryan Alpert as new athletic director

Georgia Tech has hired Ryan Alpert as its new athletic director, it was announced Tuesday.

Alpert earned a reputation as one of the country’s top fundraisers in his role as senior deputy athletic director/chief revenue officer at Tennessee. His deal with the Yellow Jackets is for five years, sources told ESPN

“Ryan Alpert is a dynamic, forward-thinking leader who understands what it takes to build a winning culture on a strong financial foundation,” Tech president Angel Cabrera said in a statement. “He brings deep operational expertise and a clear passion for student-athlete development. We are thrilled to welcome him to Georgia Tech.”

Alpert takes the role previously held by J Batt, who left for the opening at Michigan State in recent weeks. Tech ran an efficient search to replace Batt, with Alpert emerging this week from a pool of finalists.

Alpert, who will begin his new role later this month, takes over an athletic department that has been on the rise thanks to an uptick in the football program under Brent Key and Batt’s aggressive fundraising efforts. Tech has established itself as competitive in the ACC in the NIL era, and Alpert’s hire is a signal the school wants to continue in that direction.

“As college athletics continues in a period of rapid transformation, I’m excited about all the Institute has to offer and what we can accomplish together,” Alpert, who will be formally introduced Wednesday, said in a statement. “Georgia Tech’s visionary leadership, combined with its world-class academics and commitment to competitive excellence, provides a strong foundation for the future.”

In his role at Tennessee under Danny White, Alpert’s job included overseeing the Neyland Entertainment District, business and finance, capital projects, UT’s Nike contract, data analytics and information technology.

Alpert brings experience, having also spent time at Missouri, Florida Atlantic and Memphis earlier in his career.