Michael Kelly has quickly established a new standard of excellence for Navy Athletics, leading one of the most successful periods in the history of the Naval Academy’s intercollegiate athletics program. Since being named Director of Athletics on June 4, 2025, Kelly has guided the Midshipmen to historic competitive success while advancing a comprehensive vision focused on championship performance, the development of leaders, the student-athlete experience and transformational facility investments.
In his first year leading Navy Athletics, the Midshipmen posted a 327-155-12 (.674) overall record—the fourth-best winning percentage in school history and the highest since the 1986-87 academic year. Navy captured 20 conference championships, produced a school-record 48 All-Americans, won the Patriot League Presidents’ Cup for the 11th time in the last 12 years and achieved the highest Learfield Directors’ Cup finish in department history, placing 73rd nationally among 361 NCAA Division I institutions.
Navy’s success was highlighted by continued excellence in one of the most storied rivalries in all of sports. Under Kelly’s leadership, Navy has posted a 25-12-1 (.671) overall record against Army and a 17-8-1 (.673). The Midshipmen’s success against Army reflects the program’s commitment to competitive excellence, preparation and the enduring values that define the Naval Academy.
Navy student-athletes continued to excel in competition and in the classroom. The Midshipmen produced five College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans, seven Patriot League Scholar-Athletes of the Year and the Patriot League Overall Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Navy coaches earned 15 conference or national coach of the year honors, while 25 Midshipmen were recognized as conference or national players of the year and nine earned rookie of the year honors. The Mids had two players drafted in the NFL Draft for the first time since 1957.
Kelly’s vision extends beyond championships, with a commitment to creating a world-class athletics environment that supports the Naval Academy’s mission of developing future Navy and Marine Corps officers. At the Naval Academy, physical readiness is not simply a requirement—it is a foundational element of leadership development. Under Kelly’s leadership, Navy Athletics has embarked on one of the most ambitious facility improvement initiatives in school history, enhancing the spaces where Midshipmen train, compete and prepare for service.
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, America’s finest and most patriotic stadium, remains a centerpiece of this transformation. The 34,000-seat venue, home of Navy football and lacrosse, will unveil a $7.5 million premium hospitality expansion during the 2026 football season, including the Naval Academy Athletic Foundation Pavilion and Minter Pavilion. Plans are also underway for the Bruce and Bernadine Lakefield Pavilion, a 12,000-square-foot event venue scheduled to open in 2028 that will become the largest special events space in Anne Arundel County.
The future Navy Lacrosse Center, a $30 million, 35,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility scheduled to open in 2028, will provide premier training, rehabilitation, nutrition and team spaces for the Academy’s nationally recognized men’s and women’s lacrosse programs. Additional facility projects include a $5 million renovation of Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium, the reopening of the newly renovated $41 million MacDonough Hall, improvements to the United States Naval Academy Golf Course and Gurneé Performance Center and a new indoor training surface at Halsey Field House.
These investments reflect Kelly’s commitment to providing Navy student-athletes with the resources necessary to compete at the highest level while enhancing the experience for alumni, donors, fans and the greater Annapolis community.
Kelly came to the Naval Academy from the University of South Florida, where he served as Vice President for Athletics from 2018-25 and led a transformative period for Bulls Athletics. During his tenure, USF nearly doubled its athletics budget to $100 million, secured more than $100 million in philanthropic support and designed and began construction for a $340 million on-campus football stadium and training center. He also oversaw construction of the $22 million Porter Family Indoor Performance Facility and a $3 million football locker room renovation.
Under Kelly’s leadership, USF expanded to 21 varsity sports with the addition of women’s lacrosse and beach volleyball while winning 21 American Athletic Conference championships, two NCAA championships, eight cheer national championships and a Cheer World Cup title. Bulls student-athletes maintained a 3.0 grade-point average or higher for 21 consecutive semesters, and in 2024, USF Athletics was recognized by Front Office Sports as one of the nation’s Best College Athletic Departments.
Kelly prioritized the holistic development of student-athletes at USF through enhanced nutrition resources, expanded sports psychology services and the creation of the Stampede for Women initiative to support female student-athletes. He also guided the department’s commitment to sustainability through the Green Sports Alliance and increased USF’s visibility through the construction of a new broadcast production facility.
Before joining USF, Kelly served as Chief Operating Officer of the College Football Playoff from 2013-18, helping establish the national championship structure during the organization’s formative years. He directed daily operations of the CFP headquarters and oversaw initiatives involving branding, sponsorships, hospitality, licensing, merchandising, marketing and community engagement. Kelly also managed championship site selection and served as the primary liaison to National Championship host committees and the six bowl games that comprised the playoff system.
Prior to the CFP, Kelly served as Senior Associate Commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference from 2007-13, where he oversaw football administration, broadcasting, communications and conference relationships with major media and business partners. He played a significant role in the negotiation of the ACC’s multimedia rights agreement that generated nearly $2 billion in revenue for member institutions and significantly expanded national exposure for conference programs.
Kelly previously served as President of the Super Bowl host committees in Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa Bay, Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Final Four Organizing Committee, Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs at the University of South Florida, Director of Athletic Operations and Facilities at Wake Forest and Director of Communications and Special Projects for the Carquest Bowl.
A nationally respected leader in intercollegiate athletics, Kelly has served in multiple NCAA leadership roles, including the NCAA Division I Council and Division I Sports Oversight Committee, the NCAA Division I Competition Oversight Committee and the NCAA Name, Image and Likeness working group.
He is a founding board member of the Collegiate Event and Facilities Management Association and serves on the Board of Trustees for St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. and the President’s Board of Advisors at St. Thomas University.
He also served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission; and the Executive Committee of the Gasparilla Bowl.
Kelly earned his bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University in 1992, graduating magna cum laude, and earned a master’s degree in sports administration from St. Thomas University in 1994, where he served as class president. He received an honorary doctorate from St. Thomas University in 2023. A graduate of St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C., Kelly was a member of the varsity basketball team. His father, Dennis, is a 1967 graduate of the United States Naval Academy.
Michael and his wife, Lisa, have two daughters, Cara and Seana.
