Staff Directory
- Title:
- Director of Athletics
Oberhelman is in his 15th year leading the Mustangs after coming to San Luis Obispo in 2011. During this time, Cal Poly Athletics has experienced an era of unprecedented competitive and academic success. The Mustangs have captured 54 team conference championships, including 51 in Cal Poly's 16 Big West sponsored sports—more than any other Big West university in those sports over this span.
Beyond athletics, Oberhelman prioritized academic achievement, as demonstrated by a rise in the Graduation Success Rate by Cal Poly student-athletes from 71% in 2011 to 93% in the most recent year—among the highest in the nation.
“Cal Poly has a great tradition of academic excellence and we want to continue to build on that tradition in everything we do,” Oberhelman said at the time of his hiring. “For many people, athletics is the first impression they have of the university. We must make sure these impressions are great ones."
Oberhelman has served in a number of NCAA and conference leadership roles, including the first NCAA Division I Council. The 40-member Council is charged with managing the new governance structure, the many changes taking place in college athletics, and the day-to-day decision making for all of Division I. In April 2015, he was appointed by the NCAA to chair the newly formed NCAA Division I Legislative Committee to review legislation and communicate positions to the Division I Council.
Oberhelman also serves on the Board of Directors for the Hearst Cancer Center.
The Mustang Way, the core values for the department, was developed under Oberhelman's leadership. These values were so well received that the university adopted much of them as their own in 2012, and The Mustang Way has since become an integral part of campus life at Cal Poly.
Facility development has been a hallmark of Oberhelman’s tenure. Every athletic program has benefited from new construction projects or renovations totaling $100 million, helping to shape a modern and competitive athletic environment for student-athletes and fans alike. Signature projects include:
· New Facilities: Mustang Golf Academy at Dairy Creek, Dignity Health Baseball Clubhouse, Comerford Tennis Pavilion at the Ronca Tennis Center, Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex, Alumni Softball Hitting Facility, Doerr Family Field, Cal Poly Partners Plaza at Spanos Stadium, Swanson Nutrition Athletic Center, and the John Madden Football Center.
· Upgrades & Renovations: Eight upgraded locker rooms, the Mott Athletic Center lobby and Hall of Fame, Baggett Stadium seating, Slover Sports Medicine Center, two updated weight rooms, seven video scoreboards, the Hoffman Press Box, the Miller-Capriotti Track Complex, and a state-of-the-art video production studio.
On June 9, 2025, Oberhelman announced he will retire from Cal Poly at the end of the academic year.
“Don has embraced the Cal Poly hallmark of continued improvement and leaves our Athletics program significantly enhanced from the day he arrived,” said Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong. “On behalf of our entire university community, I offer our sincere thanks to Don for his commitment to athletic and academic excellence and his unwavering support for our student-athletes over the years.”
"I want to thank President Armstrong for his support and partnership over the years,” Oberhelman said. “I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to serve our amazing university. To our incredible staff and student-athletes, I have enjoyed my time with you greatly and look forward to celebrating your future success. For D.D. and I, this is our forever home, and we are excited to support Cal Poly as fans and donors in the future.”
Oberhelman previously served in athletics leadership roles at San Diego State, Southern Miss, Texas A&M and Florida State. The native of rural Kansas earned his bachelor’s in business administration at Kansas State and his master’s in athletic administration at Florida State.
