Ward has served in the leadership position since 2005. His last day will be July 27. Womens golf coach Velvet Milkman has agreed to serve as the interim director of athletics until a national search can be conducted.
Since Ward's arrival, the Racers have
won 39 Ohio Valley Conference championships and played in NCAA
Championships 29 times. The Racers' NCAA appearances
during the past school year included men's basketball, women's
golf, soccer and rifle.
During Ward's tenure, Murray State Athletics
saw its overall Academic Progress Rate score rise from 911 to
986, and have had 20 consecutive semesters of the cumulative GPA for
student-athletes exceeding 3.0.
"It's been an honor to serve as Director of Athletics at Murray State," Ward said. "I'm humbled by the success we've achieved and all we've been able to accomplish together as a team for the past 13 years. Racer Nation will always hold a special place in my heart."