UNI welcomes back Bob Bowlsby as Interim Athletic Director
University of Northern Iowa has announced that retired Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby has agreed to serve as Interim Athletic Director for the Panthers. The Waterloo, Iowa native has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in collegiate sports after honing his skills as UNI’s Athletic Director from 1983 to 1991. He was inducted into the University of Northern Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004 and currently serves as a member of the steering committee for UNI’s $250 million Our Tomorrow campaign that has raised over $243 million to date. Bowlsby’s hire on an interim basis is subject to approval by the Iowa Board of Regents.
Bowlsby will serve in this role until a national search to fill the position on a full-time basis is completed.
“On behalf of the entire UNI community, we are extremely grateful to Bob Bowlsby for agreeing to lead UNI Athletics on an interim basis,” said UNI President Mark Nook. “Bob’s passion for our institution and his dedication to Panther Athletics are both well documented, as well as his extensive resume of expertise in collegiate athletics. Bob was the first individual that came to mind when this opening arose and we are thankful that his wife, Candice, their children and grandchildren have agreed to ‘loan’ him to us in this interim role until our next Director of Athletics is in place.”
Bowlsby served as UNI’s Assistant Director of Athletics for Facilities from 1981 to 1983 before replacing Stan Sheriff as Athletics Director, directing UNI’s 19-sport program and serving as administrative head of the UNI-Dome. During his tenure Bowlsby managed UNI’s entry into the Missouri Valley Conference and increased the program’s fundraising by 400%.
“The invitation to help set up the next Director of Athletics at UNI for success was an opportunity that I simply couldn’t refuse,” said Bowlsby. “UNI gave me such a remarkable opportunity as a young professional in collegiate athletics for which I’m eternally grateful. So much of what I learned at UNI helped guide my decisions throughout my career journey. I owe a great deal to UNI, and it is my distinct pleasure to serve in this interim role until the position can be filled on a full-time basis.”