Georgetown University announced the retirement of Athletic Director Joseph Lang on June 23, ending a 34-year career at Georgetown.

The retirement, effective July 1, ended Lang’s nine-year tenure at the helm of the athletic department. He coached the track and field team from 1972 to 1983 before becoming assistant athletic director under Frank Rienzo .

” I appreciate the opportunity that Georgetown provided me to spend my career working to enhance the undergraduate experience of our student-athletes,” Lang said in a press release. “The chance to work with an outstanding group of colleagues, students and alumni has been of the great blessings of my life.”

Lang was just the athletic program’s fourth director in 55 years. Despite lagging facilities and resources, he helped the department to raise $50 million as part of the Third Century Campaign and led Georgetown to be ranked among the top 20 athletic departments in the nation by U.S. News and World Report in 2003.

Adam Brick (GSB ’86, LAW ’90), the senior associate director of athletics for legal affairs, will serve as the interim athletic director during the national search for Lang’s successor. No information on search committee members or a timetable has been released by the university.