COLUMBIA, Mo. — The University of Missouri is the destination for new athletic director Laird Veatch. Not a pit stop.
"We wanted someone who wanted to be here," University Board of Curator Chair Robin Wenneker said,"and that just came through in every interaction we had with AD Veatch." "This is where we want to be," Veatch said of he and his family."We have been ready for our forever home. We want to be in a place where we can invest in lifelong friendships. This was always it, we just didn't know. So to be clear, there is no transfer portal for the Veatch family. We are committed."
Veatch's other influence in fundraising and relationship building is his own father, Chuck, who was a life insurance salesman. Missouri men's basketball coach Dennis Gates speaks to the media after the introductory press conference for athletic director Laird Veatch at the Stephen's Indoor Facility Friday, April 26, 2024 in Columbia, Mo.Veatch mentioned many times how much of an uniting force college sports can be for a community and for a state. He says he quickly learned that was true in Missouri when he first started working for the University.