White, 71, who has been Duke's AD since 2008, will continue to serve as an adjunct professor at Duke's Fuqua School of Business, where he teaches a course on sports business.

"This unequivocally represents the most difficult professional decision that I have ever made," White said in a news release from Duke. "As I look forward to completing my 47th year in higher education, including teaching, coaching, and administration, it is simply the right time to step aside and provide a distinct opportunity for both new and different voices, and a more contemporary vision."

Duke has 27 sports and more than 700 athletes. During White's tenure, Duke teams have won eight NCAA championships – women's tennis in 2009; men's basketball in 2010 and 2015; men's lacrosse in 2010, 2013 and 2014; and women's golf in 2014 and 2019 – and 23 ACC titles.

Duke president Vincent Price said that the university would soon begin a national search for White's successor.

“College athletics will miss Kevin White," ACC commissioner John Swofford said in a statement. "He has been a North Star his entire career and has proven to be one of the best athletic directors in the country for decades. Kevin is a tremendous friend and colleague who I have relied on for counsel on numerous occasions over the years."

White, a former chairman of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee who earns just more than $1.5 million annually, went to Duke after leading the Notre Dame's athletics program for eight years. He is a former AD at Arizona State, Tulane , Maine and Loras College.