Ryan Varley

Senior Associate Athletic Director, Finance and Strategy, University of Pittsburgh

Ryan Varley joined the University of Pittsburgh Athletic Department in October 2007 as an undergraduate student intern and currently serves as the Senior Associate Athletic Director, Finance and Strategy, a position to which he was promoted in April 2022. In his current role, Varley is directly responsible for overseeing the Athletic Department’s day-to-day business and information technology functions, fiscal planning efforts, financial reporting requirements, and travel management operations. Varley is also the department’s primary liaison to the University’s CFO and works extensively with the Office of University Counsel, Division of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement, Internal Audit, Purchasing, Payment Processing, Auxiliary Services, Pitt IT, Strategic Sourcing, and the Office of the Treasurer.

During his time at the University of Pittsburgh, Varley has either worked in or overseen each of the areas within the Athletic Department’s Business Office.  While serving in these capacities, Varley has successfully managed unprecedented growth in the Athletic Department’s budget (from $55,000,000 to $160,000,000), launched one of intercollegiate athletics’ foremost data and analytics units, implemented multiple efficiency-based system improvements, and administered the department’s comprehensive financial responses to both the COVID-19 pandemic and landmark House v. NCAA settlement.

Throughout his career, Varley has also been heavily involved in several other areas of the department, including human resources, data analytics, equipment services, camps and clinics, capital planning, game day operations, and post-season planning.  In addition, he has led and served on cross-functional teams that have been responsible for formulating revenue generation strategies, guiding the Athletic Department’s long-term planning processes, and managing conference, leadership, and brand transitions.

A native of Bethel Park, PA, Varley is married to the former Molly Beachler and currently resides in Bridgeville, PA with his three children, Conor (4), Reilly (3), and Collins (infant).  He graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from the University of Pittsburgh in April 2009 and passed all four parts of the Uniform CPA Examination in 2009-2010.  He was admitted to the Sports Management Institute in 2016-2017 and is a member of the College Athletic Business Manager Association (CABMA).