Terrance "Terry" Tumey joined Caltech as director of Athletics, Recreation and Instruction (ARI) on October 28. Tumey's multifaceted career includes tenures as a college football player and coach, as a college athletics administrator at NCAA Division I, II, and III level schools, and as an executive in the National Football League (NFL).
At Caltech, Tumey will oversee all aspects of athletics, recreation, and physical education, guiding programs that promote wellness, integrity, and community. In this role, Tumey follows Heather Morgan-Strasser, who has served as the interim director since spring 2025 and provided steady leadership during the transition period.
Joseph Greenwell, associate vice president of student life and chief student affairs officer, said in an announcement of Tumey's new role, "Terry brings a collaborative, student-centered approach shaped by more than two decades of leadership in collegiate and professional athletics, including being a former Director of Athletics at Fresno State, University of California, Davis, Dominican University of California, and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Throughout his career, Terry has demonstrated exceptional skill in building bridges across teams and divisions, balancing the priorities of athletics, recreation, and academic excellence. His leadership philosophy emphasizes communication, inclusion, and student well-being—creating opportunities for all students to engage, lead, and thrive through recreation and sport."
Tumey earned his BA in political science from UCLA, where he both played and later coached football. He also holds an MBA from UCLA's Anderson School of Management.
"I think it's very important for athletics and recreation to serve and support the opportunities of educating and facilitating the development of students," Tumey says about his approach to directing athletics in higher education. "With this in mind, athletics and recreation in all forms can be a powerful platform supporting the development of many intrinsic attributes that we value. In collaboration with my colleagues within ARI, I hope to learn how to best serve the Caltech community while exploring new opportunities within our disciplines of competitive athletics, recreation, and health and wellness."