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List of Nebraska Cornhuskers athletic directors

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Director of Athletics of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Incumbent
Troy Dannen
since March 22, 2024
Reports toPresident of the University of Nebraska
PrecursorAthletic Manager
Formation1920; 104 years ago (1920)
First holderFred Luehring
Salary$1.6 million[1]

This is a list of athletic directors of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (NU). The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference and competes in NCAA Division I and the Football Bowl Subdivision. Troy Dannen was appointed Nebraska's seventeenth full-time athletic director on March 22, 2024.[2]

Nebraska officially recognizes seventeen official athletic directors, though at least fourteen others have held the role in an interim, unofficial, or de facto capacity. NU's longest-serving athletic director was Bob Devaney, who led the department from 1967 to 1992.

History[edit]

In its earliest days, the Nebraska Department of Athletics had no central figure or "athletic director," and the history of how this position developed is unclear. The department's first leaders typically were part-time officials who held others titles and responsibilities at the university. Oftentimes this person served on the Athletic Board, a group of faculty members which governed the department. Early heads of the department were given the title "Athletics Manager" – the first was multi-sport coach and physical education professor Raymond G. Clapp, who filled the role from 1902 to 1905.[3] The first individual to hold the title "athletic director" was E. J. Stewart, who served from 1916 to 1919 and also coached football and basketball during parts of his tenure.[4] However, Nebraska does not consider Stewart its first athletic director because it was not a full-time administrative position; this designation belongs to Fred Luehring, who became AD in 1920.[5] Like Clapp and Stewart, many of Nebraska's early athletic directors simultaneously coached one of the university's major varsity teams, primarily football – six of NU's first ten athletic directors also coached football during their tenure.

Aside from Bob Devaney, NU's football coach for the first six of his twenty-six years as AD, the athletic director position has been a standalone role since 1954. Including Devaney, five members of the College Football Hall of Fame have held the position.

List of part-time athletic managers[edit]

No. Athletic manager Tenure
1 Raymond G. Clapp 1902–1905
2 Earl Eager 1905–1911
Ewald O. Stiehm[a] 1911–1915
3 Guy Reed 1914–1918
4 E. J. Stewart[b] 1916–1919
5 Robert Scott 1919
James T. Lees[6] 1919–1920

List of athletic directors[edit]

No. Athletic director Tenure End of tenure
1 Fred Luehring[c] 1920–1922 Resigned to become athletic director at Minnesota
2 Fred Dawson 1922–1925 Resigned to become head football coach at Denver
3 Herbert D. Gish 1925–1932[d] Entered private business[7]
4 Dana X. Bible 1932–1936 Resigned to become head football coach at Texas
5 Biff Jones 1937–1942[e] Resigned to become athletic director at Army
6 Adolph J. Lewandowski 1942–1947[f] Retired
7 George Clark 1948–1953 Retired
8 Bill Orwig 1954–1961[g] Resigned to become athletic director at Indiana
9 Tippy Dye 1962–1967 Resigned to become athletic director at Northwestern
10 Bob Devaney 1967–1992 Retired
11 Bill Byrne 1992–2002[h] Resigned to become athletic director at Texas A&M
12 Steve Pederson 2003–2007 Fired
13 Tom Osborne[13][14] 2007–2013[i] Retired
14 Shawn Eichorst 2013–2017[j] Fired
15 Bill Moos 2017–2021[k] Retired
16 Trev Alberts[17] 2021–2024[l] Resigned to become athletic director at Texas A&M
17 Troy Dannen 2024–present

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Although Stiehm was never recorded to have held the title of "athletic manager" or "athletic director", in the years 1912 and 1913, the Cornhusker yearbook lists no head of the athletic department, while Stiehm, as the "all-year coach", seemed to be the de facto head of the department.
  2. ^ Stewart was the first individual to hold the title "athletic director," but the university does not consider him the first athletic director because it was not a full-time administrative position
  3. ^ Luehring was the first head of the Athletics Department to have a "full-time" position as designated by the Board of Regents
  4. ^ Gish initially served as interim athletic director from 1925 to 1928 following Jones' departure before accepting the full-time position
  5. ^ Head football coach Glenn Presnell served as interim athletic director following Jones' departure to serve in World War II
  6. ^ Lewandowski served as interim athletic director following George Clark's retirement in 1953
  7. ^ Dean of the College of Business Administration Charles Miller and university comptroller Joseph Soshnik served as co-interim athletic directors following Orwig's departure[8][9][10]
  8. ^ Senior associate athletic director for external operations Joe Selig served as interim athletic director following Byrne's departure[11][12]
  9. ^ Osborne initially served as interim athletic director following Pederson's firing before accepting the full-time position
  10. ^ Dave Rimington served as interim athletic director following Eichorst's firing[15]
  11. ^ Senior deputy athletic director for external relations Garrett Klassy served as interim athletic director following Moos' retirement[16]
  12. ^ Dennis Leblanc, the executive associate athletic director for academics, served as interim athletic director following Alberts' departure.[18][19]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Steve Marik (March 20, 2024). "NU hires Washington's Troy Dannen as AD, targets Jeffrey Gold as president". InsideNebraska. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  2. ^ "Nebraska names University of Washington's Troy Dannen as new athletic director". 10/11 News. March 20, 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  3. ^ Leon Nyberg (June 20, 1961). "NU History Boasts 15 Athletic Directors". Daily Nebraskan. Nebraska Newspapers. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  4. ^ "1919 Cornhusker, University of Nebraska Yearbook". Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska–Lincoln. p. 252. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  5. ^ "1926 Cornhusker, University of Nebraska Yearbook". Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska–Lincoln. p. 437. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  6. ^ Ward W. Briggs, Jr. "LEES, James Thomas". Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  7. ^ Ieva Augstums (January 11, 1999). "Former NU athletic director dies". The Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  8. ^ "1961 Cornhusker, University of Nebraska Yearbook". Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska–Lincoln. p. 71. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  9. ^ "1961 Cornhusker, University of Nebraska Yearbook". Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska–Lincoln. p. 24. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  10. ^ "Joseph Soshnik". Office of the Chancellor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  11. ^ Robin Washut (Dec 13, 2002). "Perlman names interim athletic director". Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  12. ^ Vince Kuppig (Dec 4, 2002). "Byrne says goodbye to Cornhusker State with no regrets". Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  13. ^ Johnny Perez (Oct 17, 2007). "Osborne fills position as interim athletic director". Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  14. ^ "Osborne accepts AD position". Daily Nebraskan. Dec 19, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  15. ^ Grace Harmon (Sep 26, 2017). "Former Husker football star Dave Rimington hired as interim athletic director". Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  16. ^ "Bill Moos out as University of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletic Director". KETV. June 25, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  17. ^ Sam McKewon (July 14, 2021). "Nebraska hires UNO A.D., ex-Husker Trev Alberts as athletic director". Omaha World Herald. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  18. ^ McKewon, Sam (March 13, 2024). "'Not ideal': Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts leaving for Texas A&M". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  19. ^ Dunker, Chris (March 14, 2024). "Kabourek taps Leblanc as interim Nebraska AD following Alberts'departure". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
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