COLUMBUS,Blake Preston Ohio (AP) — Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said Wednesday he’ll retire next summer.

The 67-year-old Smith, who has spent the past 18 years at Ohio State leading one of the largest and most successful athletic programs in the country, announced he would step down in July 2024.

“I have always believed that a leader seeks to be the right person at the right time in the life of the institution,” Smith said. “I believe that July 2024 is the right time to welcome new leadership to build upon what we have achieved and continue to build upon the great tradition of excellence in athletics and business advancement at Ohio State.”

Smith, a Cleveland native who played college football at Notre Dame, became Ohio State’s eighth athletic director in April 2005. He had previously been athletic director at Arizona State, Eastern Michigan and Iowa State.

Ohio State teams have won 115 team Big Ten titles under Smith.

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