The University of Iowa will begin a national search for an athletics director who will oversee a championship-winning member of the Big Ten Conference that serves more than 600 student-athletes across 22 Division I sports. 

UI President Barbara Wilson named Nicole Grosland, associate dean for academic programs in the College of Engineering and professor of biomedical engineering, as chair of the search committee. In addition to her associate dean role, Grosland serves as one of two faculty athletics representatives on campus, acting as a liaison between the institution and the athletics department. She also represents the institution at Big Ten meetings as well as national conferences related to collegiate athletics. 

Joining Grosland on the committee will be:

• P. Sue Beckwith, alumna and philanthropist
• Josie Durr, UI student-athlete, soccer
• Rick Heller, head coach, baseball
• Terry Johnson, chief financial officer and treasurer
• Jamie Jorgensen, vice president for legal affairs and general counsel
• Lynette Marshall, president and chief executive officer, UI Center for Advancement
• Jess Rickertsen, assistant athletics director, ticket operations
• James Torner, professor of epidemiology, College of Public Health, and Presidential Committee on Athletics representative
• Liz Tovar, senior associate athletics director, student-athlete academic services

Peter Matthes, vice president for external relations and senior advisor to the president, and Cheryl Reardon, chief human resources officer, will serve as ex-officio members.

The search firm TurnkeyZRG will partner with the committee on the search.

The Iowa athletics department is supported by one of the top fan bases in the country and continues to be a leader in academics as well as athletics. The Hawkeyes had 281 student-athletes earn academic all-Big Ten honors in 2022 and Iowa is the only school in the country to sell out season tickets for football, women’s basketball, and men’s wrestling during the 2023-24 season. Also this year, the Hawkeye women’s wrestling team became the first NCAA Division I, Power 5 program in the country.  

The new athletics director will succeed Gary Barta, who retired Aug. 1 after 17 years. Beth Goetz was named interim athletics director effective Aug. 2 and will remain in the position until a permanent replacement is hired.