Diana Sabau Named Senior Deputy Athletic Director

Press release...

COLLEGE PARK, MD - Successful veteran Big Ten executive Diana Sabau has been named Senior Deputy Athletic Director for Maryland Athletics by Jim Smith, the Barry P. Gossett Director of Athletics. Sabau (pronounced say-bo) will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Terrapin athletic department. She will be responsible for implementing new strategies and initiatives, including revenue-share management, contract negotiations, football scheduling, creating operating efficiencies, enhancing the overall student-athlete experience, and correspondence with the Big Ten Conference. She will officially begin in her Maryland role on July 28. 

In coming to Maryland, Sabau returns to the Big Ten Conference after working as Vice President and Director of Athletics at Utah State University for nearly the last two years. Prior to her time with the Aggies, Sabau spent two-plus years as the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Sports Officer for the Big Ten Conference. Before her time at the conference office, she served as Senior Deputy Athletics Director for The Ohio State University, where she worked for more than 20 years with the Buckeyes. 

"Diana comes to Maryland with a history of building dynamic winning cultures in college athletics," said Smith. "She has rich and deep experience in the Big Ten Conference with her long tenure at Ohio State and then serving as Deputy Commissioner at the conference office. She has worked in all facets of intercollegiate athletics at the highest levels with some of the most successful programs in the country. She has extensive experience, knowledge, and relationships throughout the country, which will be a major benefit to Maryland. We are so excited to add her to our leadership team at Maryland and know she will have a major impact on the future success of all of our Terrapins."

"I'm incredibly honored and excited to join the Maryland Athletic Department and work alongside Jim, our Terrapin staff, and student-athletes," said Sabau. "Coming back to a conference that I know and love is important and special to me. This is a dynamic time for all of college athletics, and I'm eager to help drive strategic growth, operational excellence, and a student-athlete-centered culture that reflects Maryland's tradition of excellence. I look forward to collaborating with our coaches, staff, and Terp Nation to build on our momentum and make a lasting impact."

"Diana will be a tremendous asset to all of Maryland athletics," said Gene Smith, former Director of Athletics at Ohio State. "Her deep experience within the Big Ten — both at the conference level and at The Ohio State University — has shaped her into a highly effective and versatile administrator. During her tenure in Columbus, she demonstrated exceptional growth, developing a unique blend of skills and leadership abilities. Her broad background positions her to contribute significantly across many areas, and I'm excited to see the impact she will have at the University of Maryland."

Sabau spent the last two years leading Utah State's Athletic Department and led them to significant success on and off the field. She coordinated Utah State's conference move from the Mountain West to the Pac-12, which will start with the 2026-27 season. Sabau's initiatives included launching a $125 million 'Reach and Rise' fundraising campaign, which was the largest and most ambitious fundraising effort in the University's history, and the first-ever comprehensive capital campaign in the athletic department's history, which has raised more than $29 million to date. She hired head coaches in the sports of football, men's basketball, and women's basketball during her time at Utah State. 

Under Sabau's leadership, Utah State had a historic 2023-24 year, winning a school-best four Mountain West championships in men's basketball, women's soccer, men's tennis, and women's volleyball, as three coaches were named conference coach of the year. The 2023-24 academic year also marked the first time in school history that its football, men's basketball, soccer, and volleyball programs all competed in the postseason during the same academic calendar. In 2024-25, Utah State teams won the Mountain West championships in women's soccer and gymnastics and had NCAA appearances in multiple sports including men's basketball, women's soccer, gymnastics and men's cross country. 

​​Sabau joined Utah State after spending two-plus years as the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Sports Officer for the Big Ten Conference, where she oversaw the administration of all 28 sponsored sports, which included managing affiliate memberships, competition, scheduling, championships, sportsmanship, officiating, and awards. The role, created in 2021, made Sabau the first Big Ten Conference Chief Sports Officer in the 125-year history of the league. Sabau also provided departmental oversight of football, basketball, hockey, Olympic sports, and officiating administration for the Big Ten.

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Sabau served as Senior Deputy Athletics Director for The Ohio State University, one of the nation's most successful and comprehensive athletics programs with 36 fully-funded varsity sports and more than 1,000 student-athletes. During her tenure, she served as sport administrator for football, women's ice hockey, and the co-ed rifle and pistol programs.   

During her four years as sport administrator for Ohio State football, the team won four consecutive Big Ten championships, participated in the College Football Playoffs and garnered numerous academic accolades and achievements. 

Sabau was also responsible for revenue generation and accountable for an unprecedented, multi-million-dollar partnership agreement with Nike and the university. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she demonstrated steady leadership and forward-thinking, closing a multi-million-dollar term extension between concessionaire Levy Restaurants and the university. As television liaison for Ohio State's athletic department, Sabau was responsible for bringing ESPN "College GameDay Built by The Home Depot" back to campus on select game days for live and remote pre-game coverage.

Sabau is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and Women Leaders in College Sports (womenleadersincollegesports.org) and serves on the Executive Board for Women Leaders in College Sports. She also serves on the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors. 

A native of Kenmore, N.Y., she earned a master's in sports administration from Ohio University, a bachelor's degree from St. Bonaventure University, and attended Oxford University, Somerville College. Sabau and her husband, Jamie, have two children.
COLLEGE PARK, MD - Successful veteran Big Ten executive Diana Sabau has been named Senior Deputy Athletic Director for Maryland Athletics by Jim Smith, the Barry P. Gossett Director of Athletics. Sabau (pronounced say-bo) will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Terrapin athletic department. She will be responsible for implementing new strategies and initiatives, including revenue-share management, contract negotiations, football scheduling, creating operating efficiencies, enhancing the overall student-athlete experience, and correspondence with the Big Ten Conference. She will officially begin in her Maryland role on July 28. 

In coming to Maryland, Sabau returns to the Big Ten Conference after working as Vice President and Director of Athletics at Utah State University for nearly the last two years. Prior to her time with the Aggies, Sabau spent two-plus years as the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Sports Officer for the Big Ten Conference. Before her time at the conference office, she served as Senior Deputy Athletics Director for The Ohio State University, where she worked for more than 20 years with the Buckeyes. 

"Diana comes to Maryland with a history of building dynamic winning cultures in college athletics," said Smith. "She has rich and deep experience in the Big Ten Conference with her long tenure at Ohio State and then serving as Deputy Commissioner at the conference office. She has worked in all facets of intercollegiate athletics at the highest levels with some of the most successful programs in the country. She has extensive experience, knowledge, and relationships throughout the country, which will be a major benefit to Maryland. We are so excited to add her to our leadership team at Maryland and know she will have a major impact on the future success of all of our Terrapins."

"I'm incredibly honored and excited to join the Maryland Athletic Department and work alongside Jim, our Terrapin staff, and student-athletes," said Sabau. "Coming back to a conference that I know and love is important and special to me. This is a dynamic time for all of college athletics, and I'm eager to help drive strategic growth, operational excellence, and a student-athlete-centered culture that reflects Maryland's tradition of excellence. I look forward to collaborating with our coaches, staff, and Terp Nation to build on our momentum and make a lasting impact."

"Diana will be a tremendous asset to all of Maryland athletics," said Gene Smith, former Director of Athletics at Ohio State. "Her deep experience within the Big Ten — both at the conference level and at The Ohio State University — has shaped her into a highly effective and versatile administrator. During her tenure in Columbus, she demonstrated exceptional growth, developing a unique blend of skills and leadership abilities. Her broad background positions her to contribute significantly across many areas, and I'm excited to see the impact she will have at the University of Maryland."

Sabau spent the last two years leading Utah State's Athletic Department and led them to significant success on and off the field. She coordinated Utah State's conference move from the Mountain West to the Pac-12, which will start with the 2026-27 season. Sabau's initiatives included launching a $125 million 'Reach and Rise' fundraising campaign, which was the largest and most ambitious fundraising effort in the University's history, and the first-ever comprehensive capital campaign in the athletic department's history, which has raised more than $29 million to date. She hired head coaches in the sports of football, men's basketball, and women's basketball during her time at Utah State. 

Under Sabau's leadership, Utah State had a historic 2023-24 year, winning a school-best four Mountain West championships in men's basketball, women's soccer, men's tennis, and women's volleyball, as three coaches were named conference coach of the year. The 2023-24 academic year also marked the first time in school history that its football, men's basketball, soccer, and volleyball programs all competed in the postseason during the same academic calendar. In 2024-25, Utah State teams won the Mountain West championships in women's soccer and gymnastics and had NCAA appearances in multiple sports including men's basketball, women's soccer, gymnastics and men's cross country. 

​​Sabau joined Utah State after spending two-plus years as the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Sports Officer for the Big Ten Conference, where she oversaw the administration of all 28 sponsored sports, which included managing affiliate memberships, competition, scheduling, championships, sportsmanship, officiating, and awards. The role, created in 2021, made Sabau the first Big Ten Conference Chief Sports Officer in the 125-year history of the league. Sabau also provided departmental oversight of football, basketball, hockey, Olympic sports, and officiating administration for the Big Ten.

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Sabau served as Senior Deputy Athletics Director for The Ohio State University, one of the nation's most successful and comprehensive athletics programs with 36 fully-funded varsity sports and more than 1,000 student-athletes. During her tenure, she served as sport administrator for football, women's ice hockey, and the co-ed rifle and pistol programs.   

During her four years as sport administrator for Ohio State football, the team won four consecutive Big Ten championships, participated in the College Football Playoffs and garnered numerous academic accolades and achievements. 

Sabau was also responsible for revenue generation and accountable for an unprecedented, multi-million-dollar partnership agreement with Nike and the university. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she demonstrated steady leadership and forward-thinking, closing a multi-million-dollar term extension between concessionaire Levy Restaurants and the university. As television liaison for Ohio State's athletic department, Sabau was responsible for bringing ESPN "College GameDay Built by The Home Depot" back to campus on select game days for live and remote pre-game coverage.

Sabau is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and Women Leaders in College Sports (womenleadersincollegesports.org) and serves on the Executive Board for Women Leaders in College Sports. She also serves on the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors. 

A native of Kenmore, N.Y., she earned a master's in sports administration from Ohio University, a bachelor's degree from St. Bonaventure University, and attended Oxford University, Somerville College. Sabau and her husband, Jamie, have two children.