One of Danny White’s top assistants is headed to the ACC to be an athletic director. Georgia Tech is hiring Tennessee Senior Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Revenue Officer Ryan Alpert as the school’s newest Director of Athletics, the school announced Tuesday. The initial contract is for five years according to reporting by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
White originally hired Alpert as Deputy Athletics Director/Chief Operating Officer in August 2021 just over six months after White became Tennessee’s Director of Athletics. Alpert served in that role before receiving promotions both in 2023 and 2024.
“Ryan is truly one of the rising stars in our profession,” Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White said in a previous statement. “I couldn’t be more excited to add him to a talented, competitive administrative team that is committed to building a bold and bright future for Tennessee Athletics. I’m thrilled to welcome the Alpert family to Rocky Top.”
According to Alpert’s page on Tennessee’s website, the Columbia, South Carolina native has “provided direct oversight all the external and revenue generating units for Tennessee Athletics.”
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As Chief Operating Officer, Alpert had oversight on a number of important projects at Tennessee in recent years including renovations to Neyland Stadium, Lindsey Nelson Stadium and the Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex.
Alpert was also the athletic department’s lead on the Neyland Entertainment District that will topple the G10 garage and bring a hotel and other businesses to the border of Neyland Stadium. The project is still relatively new. How Alpert’s departure affects the project is uncertain.
Alpert was also the athletic department liaison for the men’s basketball program in recent seasons, frequently traveling with the team for road trips.
Before his time at Tennessee, Alpert worked in the Missouri, Florida Atlantic and Missouri athletic departments.
Alpert will now lead a Georgia Tech athletic department in an interesting spot. With the ACC’s future uncertain and another round of conference expansion likely coming when the ACC’s current television contract runs out, Georgia Tech is looking to up its image and not get left behind in the rapidly changing college sports landscape.
Ironically, Tennessee and Georgia Tech recently agreed to a home-and-home football series. The Vols will travel to Atlanta to face the Yellow Jackets in 2026 before the return trip to Neyland Stadium in 2027.
