Dr. William Steinbrecher served as Director of Athletics at Valparaiso University from 1979-2004. Steinbrecher played a significant role in the success of Valpo's athletics programs during most of the school's Division I era (1976-present). During his 25-year tenure, Valpo captured multiple conference championships in men's basketball, women's basketball, football and women's volleyball, as well as league titles in men's soccer, men's tennis and women's tennis. Many of those teams advanced to NCAA tournaments, highlighted by the men's basketball team's Sweet 16 appearance in 1998.

A graduate of VU, Steinbrecher was influential in emphasizing high levels of academic achievement among student-athletes. He invested much time and effort in the planning and construction of VU's Athletics-Recreation Center. He also assisted in the fund-raising for the ARC through the founding of the Gauntlet Club. In addition, Steinbrecher was instrumental in the creation of the Crusader Club, Valpo's current athletic donor organization. Steinbrecher was a key figure in the development of the Mid-Continent Conference, the North Star Conference (predecessor of the Mid-Continent Conference for women's sports) and the Pioneer Football League. He served two separate terms as chair of the Mid-Continent Conference Director's Council, and completed a two-year term as chair of the Pioneer Football League, as well as five years as a member of the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet.

In 2002, Steinbrecher was honored with the Athletic Director of the Year Award for the Central Region of Division I-AA/I-AAA by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), and with the Neyland Award by the American Football Foundation.

A member of the VU faculty from 1959-1970, Steinbrecher taught in the physical education department and served as wrestling, golf and assistant football coach. As a student at VU, he played football from 1953-1956 and participated in track in 1954.