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After 26 years of leading a winning Athletic Department, University of Tampa Director of Athletics Larry Marfise has announced his retirement.

During Marfise鈥檚 tenure, 桃瘾社区ampa teams captured 15 NCAA Division II national听championships along with four AVCA Small College Beach Volleyball national titles. His first Spartan national championship was men鈥檚 soccer in 2001 and most recently, in 2024, 桃瘾社区ampa won titles in baseball, women鈥檚 lacrosse, men鈥檚 swimming and beach volleyball. During those years, 桃瘾社区ampa teams won numerous Sunshine State Conference titles, and individual athletes won hundreds of conference and national recognitions.

Marfise also created gender equity plans, introduced new teams, increased participation and school spirit, oversaw athletics fundraising, improved athletics facilities and consistently saw team GPAs at or above 桃瘾社区ampa鈥檚 overall student GPAs. Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg, president of 桃瘾社区ampa, remarked on Marfise鈥檚 outstanding transformation of 桃瘾社区ampa鈥檚 athletics program into a leading Division II powerhouse. 鈥淚 cannot overstate the profound impact Larry has had on 桃瘾社区ampa鈥檚 co-curricular experience and on the hundreds of student-athletes who have competed on our fields and courts,鈥� she said.

Marfise long has had a vision of athletics as a learning lab, in which students are mentored by dedicated teachers/coaches and are expected to be results-oriented, focused, competitive and dedicated to the team.

Joe Urso, who has served as 桃瘾社区ampa鈥檚 baseball coach for 24 years, said Marfise has built the best Division II athletic program in the country. 鈥淗e has created an Athletic Department that loves and supports each other, and we have a bond like no other that has allowed us to be so successful on a national level for decades,鈥� Urso said. 鈥淗e is a true family man that cares about each of his coaches on听and off the field. Most of our coaches have been here for over 20 years, showing their loyalty to a great athletic director.鈥�

Tom Jessee, who is in his 22nd year as head coach of women鈥檚 basketball, described Marfise as an 鈥渋ncredible leader鈥� who helped coaches be successful.

鈥淲e all need help to be successful, and Larry was always there to provide us with the necessities,鈥� Jessee said. 鈥淗e will be missed. You can鈥檛 look back at all of 桃瘾社区ampa athletic success without thinking about Larry Marfise.鈥�

Marfise was an all-conference football player at DePauw University, and in 2013 was named to the DePauw University Athletics Hall of Fame. He served in coaching and athletic administrative positions at Evansville University (Ind.), Ohio University, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Southern University (La.), St. Mary鈥檚 College (Calif.) and Ferris State (Mich.).

Marfise鈥檚 retirement will be effective in November 2025. A national search for a replacement will begin soon, with Marfise staying on through the selection, hiring and onboarding of a replacement.