Topic: Joe Alleva

Joe Alleva is the current athletics director at Louisiana State University. He officially started on July 1, 2008. He was formerly the athletics director at Duke University.

Alleva began as Athletic Director in 1998. Alleva hired three football coaches in his 11 years - Carl Franks, Ted Roof, and David Cutcliffe. Franks' record in his five years was 7-45, including two 0-11 seasons. Ted Roof fared no better, going 6-45 until being fired in 2007. Alleva was responsible for the hiring of Cutcliffe, but left prior to the season wherein Cutclife compiled a 4-8 record. His first baseball coach hired was Bill Hillier who compiled a 121-214 record before being fired in 2005 amid allegations of implicitly encouraging steroid use among his players.

Alleva faced some criticism for the way the university handled the controversial Duke lacrosse team rape allegations in 2006. Despite the four defendants being later acquitted of the charges against them, the head lacrosse coach, a winner of national coach of the year, was forced to resign. In addition, the 2005 lacrosse season was canceled during the ongoing investigation even though 43 of the 47 players were not accused of any wrongdoing. Families of 38 of the 47 lacrosse players have filed a lawsuit against Duke University for multiple offenses in the handling of the case.