Holland, who recently assisted the president at Virginia, will be introduced at a news conference on Wednesday in Greenville, ECU officials said.
ECU Chancellor Steve Ballard said, "Terry Holland is a proven program builder who has been successful throughout his career as coach and athletics director. He has great integrity and the ability to inspire others. His credentials are impeccable, and I have no doubt that he will make a difference at ECU."
Holland has agreed to a five-year contract with ECU, and will begin his duties on Oct. 1, Ballard said.
Ballard also said that Nick Floyd, the senior associate athletics director who has served as interim AD since Mike Hamrick resigned last August to take a similar position at UNLV, has agreed to a new five-year contract to remain at ECU.
"Nick has done a superb job, and his continued leadership will help assure the strength and vigor of our program," Ballard said.
Holland served as the athletic director at the University of Virginia from 1995 to 2001, before becoming the special assistant the president. In that post, he secured the creation of a new basketball arena for the university. His career at Virginia began in 1974 as head men's basketball coach, where he was touted as the most successful coach in the university's history with a 326-173 record. In 1990 he was appointed athletics director at his alma mater, Davidson College, before returning to Charlottesville as AD.
"The main attraction of East Carolina University is the spirit, pride and determination of its students, faculty, alumni and fans," said Holland, who will move to Greenville with his wife, Ann. "Our immediate goal will be to join with the university to provide a first-class academic and athletic environment so that every student and every athlete from eastern North Carolina will find that they do not have to leave the area in order to succeed at the highest levels academically and athletically."
Holland was chosen with the assistance of a search committee task force. A native of Clinton, N.C., Holland is a member of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. While AD of Virginia, Holland oversaw the $86 million expansion of the university's football stadium and planned the new $130 million John Paul Jones Arena. Under Holland's leadership, Virginia was consistently in the top 15 of the Sears Directors' Cup competition, which ranks universities based on their performance in NCAA championships.