Position: Director of Athletics
@GrahamNeff
Graham Neff was named Clemson’s 14th Director of Athletics on December 23, 2021 in the midst of his eleventh year at Clemson and is now in his third year in the role. During his tenure, Neff has established himself as a forward-thinking leader with a focus on student-athlete well-being and academic and athletic success. Additionally, he’s helped to navigate a complicated national landscape, working closely with key stakeholders to stay at the forefront of the issues with an emphasis on the impacts to Clemson.
He’s overseen significant facility development, including investments at football and a women’s sport expansion project to house Clemson’s new lacrosse and gymnastics teams. He led the bringing of Clemson’s multimedia rights in-house, developed a comprehensive NIL program and launched a streaming service, Clemson+. Recently, Clemson announced the formation of Clemson Ventures, which is an innovative take on commercial revenue generation within the athletic department, including sales, media creation, digital marketing, NIL and events verticals. Additionally, IPTAY has seen record-breaking growth in the past two years, which included the largest gift in IPTAY history.
Academically, Clemson’s graduation success rate has been above 91 percent for eleven consecutive years, tops the nation among public Power Five institutions for two straight years with a 96 percent mark for the most recent data release, and student-athlete total GPA has been above 3.0 for 12 straight semesters.
All of this led to Clemson being named one of Front Office Sports’ Best Collegiate Athletic Departments nationally.
On the field, it’s led to significant results. Clemson made its return to the College Football Playoff in 2024 after claiming the ACC Football Championship. In the 2022-23 season, Clemson’s teams won four ACC Championships in a single season for the first time since 1998-99. In the 2023-24 year, four programs advanced to national quarterfinals in a single season, an accomplishment that hasn’t occurred since 1979-80. And, in 2023 the Men’s Soccer program claimed its second National Championship in three years. This included an ACC and National Championship by the men’s soccer program, an historic run by the Men’s Basketball program, which knocked off basketball powerhouses Baylor and Arizona on its run, and appearances from Women’s Golf and Women’s Soccer.
Neff has been in senior leadership positions within Clemson Athletics since 2013, including as chief financial officer and director of capital projects prior to his most recent role as deputy director of athletics. Neff has helped oversee the build and financing of more than $200 million in facility improvements, aided in the continued development of IPTAY, and served as a sport administrator for football and men’s basketball.
Neff works consistently with key university stakeholders, including the university Executive Leadership Team, The Board of Trustees, IPTAY Board of Directors, Athletics Council, as well as several university committees and appointments.
During his time as a sport supervisor, the football program won two national championships, the men’s basketball program made a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet 16 run in 2018.
Neff has helped develop several key areas of the department, including the financial philosophy, fundraising, student-athlete welfare, and external operations management, and in 2019 was named one of Sports Business Daily’s Power Players and in 2021 was named to SBJ’s 40 Under 40 list.
Prior to his role as Deputy AD, he joined Clemson in April 2013 as Associate AD of Finance and Facilities. Before Clemson, Neff served two-plus years in several senior administrative roles at Middle Tennessee State Athletics, with emphasis in finance, facilities and external operations.
A civil engineering graduate of Georgia Tech, he served as a student manager for Coach Paul Hewitt and the men’s basketball program, advancing to a Final Four in 2004. Neff worked in the Financial Advisory Services group at Deloitte and Touche from 2006 to 2008, prior to returning to a finance and ticketing role at the Georgia Tech Athletic Association. He earned an MBA from Georgia Tech in 2010.
Neff and his wife Kristin have three sons, Grady and twins Emmett and Nolan.
Clemson President Jim Clements on Graham Neff (Dec. 23, 2021)
“Our department of athletics has a long-standing tradition of success that continues today, most recently with another national championship for our men’s soccer team, and a deep commitment to student-athlete development. Graham Neff has played an integral role every step of the way. Graham is a highly sought-after athletics administrator, a brilliant and selfless leader, and we’re thrilled about his vision for Clemson athletics.”
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips (Dec. 23, 2021)
“Graham will be an excellent addition to our outstanding group of ACC Athletics Directors. He is already well-versed in the culture of Clemson University, the ACC and college athletics, which will serve all entities well. Congratulations to Graham, his wife Kristin and their entire family.”
Neff Features:
AJC Feature (2018): At Clemson, Georgia Tech grad Graham Neff flourishes
Panel on Deputy AD Position (2019): Link
Getting to know Graham Neff (2021): Link
This is Clemson. pic.twitter.com/AK8iJtVXi4— Graham Neff (@GrahamNeff) December 23, 2021
This is Clemson. pic.twitter.com/AK8iJtVXi4
— Graham Neff (@GrahamNeff) December 23, 2021
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