Miami University has announced that Director of Athletics David Sayler has agreed to a five-year contract extension that will keep him in Oxford through the 2027-28 academic school year.

Since his arrival, Sayler has preached the mission of "Graduating Champions," an approach that provides guidance and support (fundraising) to Miami student athletes in the pursuit of excellence both in the classroom (graduate) and in competition (win championships).

To that end, Miami was named the winner of the Cartwright Award an unprecedented three-straight years, earning the honor in 2017-2018, 2018-19 and 2020-21 (it was not awarded in 2019-20). The award is voted on by all Mid-American Conference institutions and recognizes the best Athletic Department in the conference in the areas of academics, community service and competitive results.

Despite the chaos of COVID-19 in 2020-21, Miami won its 25th Reese Trophy, finished third in the Jacoby Trophy standings, a fraction of a point out of first, and again seized the Cartwright Award. Field hockey won another MAC Championship, while softball shattered the MAC record books en route to its second-straight MAC title and men's swimming & diving and men's outdoor track & field each claimed MAC crowns.

Miami has won 47 conference championships since Sayler stepped foot on campus and has seen several squads accomplish post season success. In all, 13 of Miami's 19 athletics teams have won at least one championship under Sayler's watch.
Even with all of the on field success, Sayler has never lost sight of the classroom success as well, helping RedHawks graduate at an astounding rate. During his time, Miami has recorded at least a 3.20 grade-point average each semester. In 2013-14 the RedHawks captured the MAC Academic Achievement Award and Miami has continued to excel as a department, posting a 3.0 GPA or better in 34-consecutive semesters. The RedHawks also just recently announced that Miami's Graduation Success Rate was at 96%, the highest percentage in the history of Miami Athletics.
    
Prior to joining Miami, Sayler served as the Director of Athletics at South Dakota for two years. As South Dakota's Athletic Director, Sayler emphasized the improvement of the student-athlete's overall experience and instilling a renewed sense of pride in Coyote athletics. 
    
Among his accomplishments were securing USD's 2012 membership in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and leading the way for USD's aggressive Master Facilities Plan, which included new facilities for basketball, outdoor track and field, and soccer. Sayler secured a $20 million private gift, the largest single contribution in South Dakota athletics history. He also raised funds for a new basketball floor, which was introduced in 2011-12, and football turf, which made its debut in the fall of 2012. 
    
Sayler has also spent time at Rice, Oregon State, Bowling Green, Houston, Hartford, Georgia and UConn.     
    
After graduation from Ohio Wesleyan University (1991) with a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting, Sayler worked three years in the private sector, spending time with Ernst & Young in Cleveland and Peterson Consulting in Chicago. Sayler was inducted into the Miami Valley High School (class of 1987) Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016.
    
Sayler, born Sept. 6, 1969 in Greenwich, Conn., is married to the former Katie Fitzgerald of Bowling Green, Ohio. The couple has two sons, Connor Jameson and Liam Patrick.