Craig Pintens is in his eighth full academic year as Director of Athletics at Loyola Marymount University, a role he assumed in June 2018. He brings extensive executive leadership experience from nationally championship-caliber programs and has guided LMU Athletics through one of the most successful periods in department history.
Since his arrival, Pintens has led a comprehensive revitalization of LMU Athletics, hiring the majority of the department’s current head coaches, restructuring the senior leadership team, modernizing facilities, and driving record-setting fundraising results. Under his leadership, LMU has emphasized competitive excellence, student-athlete achievement, and long-term sustainability.
Competitive Excellence
LMU Athletics has consistently ranked among the top programs nationally within Division I-AAA, including the department’s best-ever finish in the Learfield Directors’ Cup last year, finishing 7th in Division I-AAA and 94th overall. Since 2018, Lion teams have earned 17 NCAA postseason berths across eight sports, highlighted by sustained national success in beach volleyball, including an NCAA championship appearance and a historic NCAA quarterfinal appearance by men’s soccer. The department has also captured 16 regular-season championships and, in 2022-23, earned the WCC Male All-Sports Award for the first time, showcasing its dominance across various sports.
Academic Achievement
Academic performance has remained a hallmark of LMU Athletics. The department maintains a cumulative GPA of nearly a 3.4, with every team posting at least a 3.00 GPA. Student-athletes collectively outperform the general student body, and the department’s Graduation Success Rate has ranged from 93-96 percent during Pintens’ tenure, well above the national average.
Philanthropy and Revenue Growth
Fundraising has reached unprecedented levels during Pintens’ tenure, including multiple record-breaking years and the highest single-year total in department history. LMU Athletics has also become a leader in the university’s annual Day of Giving, ranking first in participation and impact in six of seven years.
Pintens has more than doubled the department’s corporate sponsorship revenue through a strategic decision to bring corporate sponsorship in-house.
Innovation in NIL and Department Leadership
LMU has emerged as a national leader among Division I-AAA institutions in the evolving Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) landscape. The university was among the first to establish an NIL collective and a dedicated General Manager role, and recently launched Roar LMU to further align resources and strategy in the post–House Settlement environment.
Coaching, Culture, and Facilities
Pintens has hired and retained the majority of LMU’s head coaches.  Fourteen times, Head Coaches have earned conference Coach of the Year honors. His tenure has also included a transformative investment in facilities, including a comprehensive renovation of Gersten Pavilion and significant upgrades across nearly every competition and training venue, as well as the opening of a new beach volleyball facility, the university’s first new competition venue in nearly two decades.
Prior Experience
Before joining LMU, Pintens spent seven years as Senior Associate Athletic Director at the University of Oregon, where he contributed to a period that produced 17 national championships. He previously held leadership roles at Louisiana State University, Marquette University, and the University of Texas–Pan American, building a national reputation for excellence in marketing, revenue generation, fan engagement, and strategic communications.
Professional Background
A sought-after speaker, Pintens has presented at conferences nationwide and has received more than 40 national awards for excellence in collegiate marketing and revenue initiatives. He hosts the Margins of Victory podcast, produced by CollegeTown, featuring leaders in sports and business discussing innovation and growth in collegiate athletics. He is also a member of the Wisconsin Bar.
Pintens earned his Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater.
Personal
Pintens and his wife, Jill, have four children: Kaitlin (LMU '26), Jackson (Creighton ’28), Tate, and Avery.
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