Larry Marfise
Athletic DirectorAlma Mater: DePauw, 1974
E-mail: lmarfise@ut.edu
Office Phone: 813-257-3100
Larry Marfise is in his 12th 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.
Under Marfise, UT teams have captured five NCAA II national championships. His first Spartan title was a 2001 men’s soccer championship as his teams have combined to win four championships in the previous four years with baseball winning a pair and volleyball and women’s soccer each capturing a crown.
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. Under Marfise, Tampa has finished in the top 20 in each of the past four years after previously finishing in the top 20 just once.
Additionally, UT facility improvements include a new soccer 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.
Currently, he serves on the NCAA Baseball Rules 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 (15) and Cole (13).
