Bio

Larry Marfise is in his 22nd year as athletic director at Tampa. Under Marfise’s direction, The University of Tampa Athletic Program has continually placed among the top 30 nationally in the NCAA II Sports Academy Directors’ Cup standings while being a consistent national championship contender among several sports.

Under Marfise, UT teams have captured 10 NCAA Division II national championships along with the 2019 AVCA Small College Beach Volleyball title. His first Spartan title was a 2001 men’s soccer championship as his teams combined to win four championships from 2006 with baseball winning a pair and volleyball and women’s soccer each capturing a crown. In 2013, 2015 and 2019, UT also won baseball championships under Marfise's direction. Volleyball captured its third national title, all under Marfise's direction, in 2018.

A current member of the NCAA Management Council, Marfise was also inducted to the DePauw College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2008, he was honored by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) with the Southeast Region AstroTurf AD of the Year Award (ADOY).

At Tampa, Marfise has led his department to the top of the NCAA Division II U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup standings. The Spartans finished fifth in 2007-08, marking a record finish for UT. The Spartans most recently finished the 2018-19 campaign 12th overall in the standings after capturing three national championships (baseball, beach volleyball, volleyball).

Additionally, UT facility improvements include a new lacrosse, soccer, beach volleyball and baseball stadium, a modernized and enlarged weight room, renovated locker rooms and upgrades to the softball, tennis and swimming complexes. Marfise has also established four new athletic endowments while at UT.

Marfise has also increased female participation by creating gender equity plans, including new women’s athletic teams and increased participation. He also instituted professional development seminars and workshops for coaching and support staff. His long-term planning document has come to fruition in continued and newfound success, along with the overall growth of the athletic department in student-athlete participation and success both on and off the playing field.

He currently serves as a member of the Tampa Chamber of Commerce Sport Committee, while also being an Outback Bowl board member, Tampa Sports Authority Advisory Board Member, Tampa Downtown Rotary and member of the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee. He is also a current Member of the NCAA Division II membership committee.

The UT director of athletics has previously served as a member of the NCAA Legislative Rules oversight committee, NCAA Division II management council (2012-2016) and member and chairman of the NCAA Honors Committee.

Prior to joining the Spartans, he served as athletic director at Ferris State (Mich.) (1994-99), Associate AD at St. Mary’s (Calif.) (1985-94), assistant AD at Southern-Baton Rouge (1985), asst. coach/promotions and tickets administrator at UNLV (1984), administrator at Ohio (1983-84), wrestling coach/ intramural director at Evansville (1979-83) and wrestling/football coach and English teacher at Indianapolis Lawrence High School (1975-79).

While at Ferris State, he directed the campaign to build a new gymnasium, a $1 million hockey locker room and renovated the field house. He served on the NCAA II Football Championships Committee and was president of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference where he oversaw expansion.

While at St. Mary’s, he served on the NCAA I Baseball Promotion Committee. The 1974 DePauw graduate is a native of Chicago, Ill. and graduated from De LaSalle High School where he lettered in three sports. He was an all-conference football player at DePauw. Marfise holds master’s degrees from DePauw and Ohio.

He is married to Suzanne and they have two children, Jacob and Cole.