BREAKING: Director of Athletics Don Harnum to retire

This story was updated on May 1 at 12:35 p.m.

By Cal Sutton

Rider’s Director of Athletics Don Harnum is set to retire at the end of the 2025-26 academic year, after a 36-year tenure that included numerous division titles and achievements for Rider Athletics.

Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Kelly Bidle said in an April 30 email to The Rider News, “What made Don special was the fact that he was all in when it came to Rider Athletics. Even after all these years, he still loved watching all of our teams complete and truly cared about the growth of our student-athletes, both as people and as competitors. Don has been a true friend and colleague to me for over 25 years and he will be sorely missed.”

Harnum was not available for comment at the time of publication. He did not respond to email and phone messages left for him by The Rider News.

During Harnum’s time at the university, he had witnessed many successes within Rider Athletics, including multiple Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titles from the university’s division I teams and various athletic achievements across Rider’s sports.

Senior Associate Director of Athletics Karin Torchia said that athletics’ success is “the result of Don’s steady leadership, his ability to adapt, and his commitment to always pushing the department forward.”

Harnum coached men’s basketball prior to his service as athletics director, leading the men’s team to success with regular-season conference titles and an appearance at the National Invitation Tournament.

In 2002, he earned the title of MAAC Coach of the Year and has held chair positions with MAAC throughout his career in collegiate athletics.

Torchia worked with Harnum for 26 years at Rider. She said she had a “front-row seat to the transformation of Rider Athletics,” thanks to Harnum’s leadership at Rider.

“His impact goes far beyond championships and MAAC Commissioner’s Cups, although Rider has won quite a few of those during his time as athletic director,” Torchia said. “Don built a culture where academic success, personal growth, and competitive excellence all mattered equally, and that balance is what truly defines his legacy.”

Harnum’s departure comes on the heels of a difficult season for Rider sports. The men’s basketball team finished last in the MAAC this season and women’s basketball finished 11th of 13 in rankings, leaving them unqualified for this year’s tournament. The past two years have been the worst in program history for the women’s basketball team and this season was the worst in Rider men’s basketball history.

Harnum’s retirement also comes during an unprecedented time of mass faculty departures, both voluntary and following the university’s December 2025 layoffs. The university, after losing seasoned staff, is in a time of transition as it works through financial matters.

This story will be updated with more information.