Travis Goff
Travis Goff, named a Next Up honoree by CollegeAD in 2018 and one of Sports Business Journal’s “Power Players in College Sports” in 2019, was named Athletic Director at the University of Kansas by Chancellor Douglas Girod on April 5, 2021.
A Kansas graduate with deep roots in his home state, Goff, a seasoned college athletics administrator and program builder who prioritizes relationships with student-athletes, staff, alums and fans, returns to his alma mater to lead the Jayhawk athletic department.
Goff arrives back at Kansas from Northwestern, where he has served as Deputy Athletic Director/Assistant Vice President for the Wildcats since 2012.
A Dodge City native who grew up in a family of Jayhawks, Goff got his start in college athletics at KU in the Williams Educational Fund as an undergraduate. Following his ascension to a fulltime role in the department, Goff was hired at Tulane, where he also received his Masters of Business Administration.
During his time in New Orleans, he was part of the team that rebuilt the athletics program following the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina. His more than eight year tenure was highlighted by his role as Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs where he was responsible for leading the $70 million athletics fundraising campaign to raise funds to develop an on-campus football stadium. He also held oversight of marketing, ticket sales and operations, sponsorships and communications, and served on the department’s executive staff.
Following his successful stay at Tulane, Goff accepted the position of Deputy Athletic Director for Development at Northwestern. In 2016, he added Assistant Vice President to his title. As part of his role at Northwestern, Goff has been responsible for unprecedented fundraising success as he led all Athletics & Recreation’s development efforts. During his time in Evanston, $460 million was raised to support the department. Throughout his tenure, annual fundraising efforts increased from an average of $6-8 million per year to an average of more than $60 million annually. The department set a university record, raising $97 million in one year alone.
Goff, who received his Kansas degree in journalism and sociology, is married to the former Nancy Kockott, a 2005 Tulane alumna (MBA 2008) and former tennis standout for the Green Wave. Together they have two daughters, Ellie and Carly, and a son, Graham.
