Norv Ritchey

Norval James Ritchey (December 30, 1931 – November 2, 2022) was an American academic administrator who worked at the University of Oregon from 1956 to 1992. From 1970 to 1975, he was Oregon's athletic director.

Early life Ritchey was born on December 30, 1931 in Yoncalla, Oregon. He played baseball at Yoncalla High School and the University of Oregon. His season was cut short when he was called for active duty with the United States Air Force. He served as personnel services officer and director of athletics at Nagoya Air Base. He was released in 1955. On June 4, 1970, it was announced that Ritchey would succeed Casanova upon his retirement on June 30. He was chosen over external candidates Bump Elliott, Hank Anderson, and Ken Karr.

During the 1970 baseball season, longtime Oregon baseball coach Don Kirsch stepped down due to Parkinson's disease. Ritchey appointed associate coach Jack Roche to succeed Kirsch for the remainder of the season, then hired a former Ducks teammate, Mel Krause, as a permanent replacement.

Following a 5–6 1971 football season, Ritchey asked head coach Jerry Frei to fire some of his assistants in an apparent attempt to appease donors. Frei refused and resigned. Assistant coach Dick Enright was promoted two weeks later. The Ducks went 4–7 in 1971 and 2–9 in 1972. Enright was fired by Ritchey in January 1974. He was succeeded by Don Read, who went 9–24 in three seasons as head coach.

In 1971, Ritchey hired Dick Harter away from Penn in an effort to turn the men's basketball team into a premier program. In seven seasons under Harter, the Ducks went 112–82, but did not appear in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Despite the success, Ritchey and Harter did not have a good working relationship. Dick Enright described Harter as driving Ritchey crazy and with his constant demands.

Ritchey also dealt with increased financial pressure caused by Title IX requirements, rising costs, and inflation. Consequently, the university had to cut back on some of its travel spending and scholarship funding.

Ritchey submitted his resignation on September 8, 1975, but wanted to remain with the university in another position. On October 2, he was reassigned to the position of assistant dean in the department of health, physical education, and recreation and Wingert was named acting athletic director. In 1986, Ritchey was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame. He retired in 1992. Mary Ritchey died 2012. In 2014, he married Barbara J. Malos.

Ritchey died on November 2, 2022.