ASU names Steve Webb as executive director for athletics compliance

Steve Webb, an associate director of amateurism certification in the Eligibility Center of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) since 2007, has been named Executive Director for Athletics Compliance at Arizona State University, it was jointly Aug. 25 by university vice president for athletics Lisa Love and senior vice president and general counsel Jose Cardenas.

Webb will be employed by the ASU Office of General Counsel for the purpose of directing compliance for Sun Devil Athletics. His responsibilities will include developing comprehensive rules education programs for staff, students, donors and members of the public, developing systems and mechanisms for rules monitoring, investigating and reporting rules violations, and leading the Athletics Compliance Office. Webb will begin on Sept. 26.

"The appointment of Steve Webb is a strong reflection of our commitment to integrity at Arizona State University," says Love. "Steve understands the nuances of the NCAA and his frame of reference is extremely rich. He will have a very positive impact on our compliance area. We've recruited a blue-chipper and I look forward to his leadership."

"I am extremely excited about the opportunity to join the Arizona State University staff," says Webb. "This is a university that I have long admired from an institutional as well as an athletics standpoint and I have been very impressed with the people I have met so far. They have communicated their strong commitment to a successful and rules compliant athletics program and I am looking forward to helping everyone accomplish that objective."

Since 2007 Webb has overseen NCAA Eligibility Center staff processing reviews to determine whether entering first-year student-athletes satisfy NCAA amateurism requirements, including performing many high profile and elite athlete reviews. His position also required managing many operations of the NCAA amateurism certification area and serving as a liaison for the department with other NCAA departments and external groups.

Webb originally joined the NCAA as an assistant director of enforcement in 2005 before moving to the Amateurism Certification department in 2007.

Prior to the NCAA stint, Webb practiced law with the firm of Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago, primarily specializing in intellectual property patent litigation in the area of biotechnology. He studied law at The Ohio State University (2002) and Biological Sciences at Northern Illinois University (1996), where he was also a baseball student-athlete. He was NIU's Most Valuable Player in 1996 and was Academic All-District that same year.