Washington University has hired Anthony J. Azama as the John M. Schael Director of Athletics, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Lori White announced today.

The move comes just over a year after former athletic director Josh Whitman departed Wash. U. for Division I University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Azama comes from a Division I program of his own, joining the Bears after two years as the senior associate athletics director for external operations at Columbia University.

In a press release, White expressed confidence in the decision based on Azama’s experience not only in athletic administration, but as a former scholar-athlete at Vanderbilt University.

“Anthony’s experiences at both the collegiate and professional sports level, and the positive impact he has made as a leader in athletic administration throughout his career, makes him the perfect choice to be the athletic director at Washington University,” White said.

Azama is being tasked with heading a program that has added its 20th (women’s soccer) and 21st (women’s track and field) NCAA national championships over the past year, in addition to opening the Gary M. Sumers Recreation Center in October 2016.