On February 28, 2013, President Kerwin announced that AU had hired Dr. William "Billy" Walker to be the new athletic director. He joined the AU staff on April 3, 2013. A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), Walker was deputy director of athletics and professor and head of the Physical Education Department at the Air Force Academy. Dr. Walker retired from the Air Force in July 2013 at the rank of brigadier general, and awarded the Legion of Merit. During his first year as AD, the women's field hockey, women's volleyball, and men's basketball teams won Patriot League championships. The women's volleyball repeated as Patriot League champions in 2013-2014, and were joined by the women's basketball team.