New BYU Athletic Director Brian Santiago Aims to Maintain Cougars’ Athletic Success

Brian Santiago has stepped into the role of BYU athletic director with a clear goal: to sustain the school’s prominence in football and basketball on the national stage.

With the Cougars achieving an 11-2 football season capped by an Alamo Bowl victory and a men’s basketball Sweet 16 appearance — their first since 2011 — the task of continuing that upward trend now falls on Santiago.

“Nobody’s going to put us at the bottom of the Big 12 anymore,” Santiago declared during his first press conference on Wednesday. “We have to be ready because the competition is only going to get tougher, and now teams are going to come after us. We’re no longer sneaking up on anyone.”

BYU chose Santiago, previously deputy athletic director, to succeed longtime AD Tom Holmoe after considering over 50 applicants. In the end, the school opted to promote from within its own ranks.

Santiago became deputy AD in 2017 following nine years as a senior associate AD. He originally joined BYU as an assistant basketball coach under Steve Cleveland in 1997 before transitioning into administration.

His long-standing ties to the program helped him rise to the top of the candidate list.

“Brian was a standout among the candidates,” said BYU President Shane Reese. “No one else brought 27 years of direct BYU athletics experience — including two decades working under Tom Holmoe through some of the toughest challenges in college sports.”

In his previous role, Santiago oversaw 11 sports and said that working under Holmoe gave him the knowledge and confidence needed to take on his new responsibilities.

“He trusted me and allowed me to contribute,” Santiago said. “I’ve been in the fight already.”

A native of Provo, Santiago played basketball at Utah Valley and Fresno State before starting his career at BYU.

From 1992 to 1994, he played two seasons for Fresno State, averaging 9.9 points, 6.4 assists, and 3.5 rebounds. As a senior, he led the Western Athletic Conference in assists (7.0) and three-point accuracy (.500).

Although Santiago is known as a “basketball guy,” he emphasized that sustaining success in football remains his chief concern.

“Football leads everything,” he said, praising head coach Kalani Sitake. “There’s nothing more vital at BYU than our football team.”

Another pressing focus is retaining men’s basketball coach Kevin Young after a strong debut season. Young has been linked to NBA openings, including the Phoenix Suns, due to his past experience as an assistant.

Still, Santiago believes BYU will keep its coach.

“Kevin Young is fully committed,” he said. “There’s been plenty of speculation, especially with the Suns changing coaches. Of course they’ll want to speak with him. But I hope Kevin sees what we’re building here.”