Football and Track Letterman, 1949-50
Duke Administrator for 22 years
Duke Director of Athletics, 1972-77
Big Eight Conference Commissioner

Carl James, a Raleigh, N.C. native, has had a long and distinguished career as an athletics administrator. The winner of seven varsity letters in football and track during his undergraduate career at Duke (1949-51),

James was assistant athletics director at Duke from 1954-66 and associate AD from 1969-72, then served as the Blue Devils' director of athletics from 1972-77.

After leaving Duke in 1977, he became executive director of the Sugar Bowl until Maryland hired him as director of athletics from 1978-80. In 1980 he succeeded Charles Neinas as commissioner of the Big Eight, only the fourth commissioner in the league's history.

James has served on numerous NCAA and CFA committees and had a two-year stint as the chairman of the Collegiate Commissioners Association.