University of Northern Iowa Names New Director of Athletics

(Cedar Falls, IA) -- The University of Northern Iowa has a new Director of Athletics. Megan Franklin comes to U-N-I from Drake's athletic department, where she has worked over a decade. She'll begin the job next Monday. Bob Bowlsby has been serving as U-N-I's temporary, interim A-D while the university searched for a permanent replacement.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Megan to the University of Northern Iowa,” UNI President Mark Nook said. “Megan has been a key contributor to the renaissance of Drake Athletics in recent years. Her understanding of the NCAA Division I landscape and the Missouri Valley Conference will be immediately beneficial to Panther Athletics. Her longstanding commitment to student-athlete success stood out among a field of very strong candidates.

“Megan’s vision of how UNI Athletics can compete for championships, while bolstering the profile of our entire university impressed me and the rest of our search committee,” Nook continued. “We are excited for our entire campus community to meet her, as well as our passionate Panther fans and alumni.”

Franklin has agreed to terms of a five-year contract that is subject to approval by the Iowa Board of Regents. 

“I appreciate President Nook and Panthers everywhere for entrusting me with the responsibility of serving as UNI’s Director of Athletics,” Franklin said. “UNI’s rich tradition of success in the athletics arena, in the classroom and as a key community partner were appealing for me. The signature of Panther Athletics is the people from the winningest coaching cohort in the Missouri Valley Conference to administrative professional staff who have dedicated their professions to the betterment of UNI student-athletes. As I visited campus and engaged with President Nook, his leadership team and coaches and staff, it simply confirmed many of the reasons that I have admired UNI from afar for many years. I am excited to get to Cedar Falls to build on the legacies in the Athletics Director chair of the individuals before me. Go Panthers!”