UNI PANTHERS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer - Volleyball, Cheer / Danc
- Athletic Trainer - Volleyball, Cheer / Dance
Alex Crum joined the UNI athletic training staff in the spring of 2022. Entering his second year as an athletic trainer with UNI in 2023-24, Crum will oversee athletic training services for the UNI volleyball team, as well as the cheer and dance teams.
A two-time graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, Crum earned his bachelor's degree in movement and exercise science in 2019, and a master's degree in athletic training in 2021, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Crum returned to UNI after serving as an assistant athletic trainer at Jackson State University, where he aided in rebuilding the university's sports medicine program and provided athletic injury prevention, evaluation, management, and rehabilitation for the school's 16 teams and over 400 student-athletes.
Prior to Jackson State, Crum served as an intern in the National Football League with the Indianapolis Colts during the 2020 offseason, assisting the sports medicine staff and routinely using therapeutic modalities and techniques to improve athlete's health.
Crum holds various clinical experience in sports medicine, working with a number of UNI's teams, including track and field, football, men's basketball, and volleyball. He also has experiences working with the Northeast Iowa Family Practice Clinic, surgical observation with the Buchanan County Department of Health, and Cedar Valley Medical Specialists.
Job Titles:
- Head Cross Country Coach / Assistant Track & Field Coach
In spring of 2019, she helped the UNI men's track and field team repeat as outdoor track and field champions, winning the meet by a large margin.
Alexina Teubel was named UNI's head cross country coach in October 2022 after serving as a Panther assistant coach since 2016. Teubel is also a full-time assistant with UNI's track and field team primarily working with the middle distance, distance runners and long sprinters on the track.
Job Titles:
- Academic Advisor
- Title / Academic Advisor
Amy Tagtow joined UNI Athletics as an athletics academic advisor in November 2021.
Tagtow assists Panther student-athletes on academic and NCAA eligibility matters. Working on the UNI campus since November 2019, she started as an administrative assistant and most recently served as an advisor for the alumni relations student organization, Connecting Alumni to Students (CATS).
In addition to serving as a mentor to UNI students, Tagtow was instrumental in creating and developing philanthropic educational events. She was a liaison to the UNI Alumni board of managers and executed events like Day of Giving, Love a Donor, GradFest, Traditions Challenge and roundtables with alumni.
Prior to working at UNI, Tagtow was a program coordinator at Hawkeye Community College, where she planned, coordinated and executed monthly events for more than 50 attendees.
Tagtow also has higher education experience at Grinnell College having served as the guest housing and special programs coordinator.
Tagtow earned her Bachelor of Arts in leisure, youth and human services with a tourism emphasis at UNI, and later a master's degree in postsecondary education: student affairs in 2023 from UNI.
A native of Brooklyn, Iowa, Tagtow currently resides in Waterloo, Iowa with her husband Alex, as well as their son, Jameson, and twin daughters, Avery and Kendall.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Associate Athletics Director Student - Athlete Development & Inclusion
Andrea Greve-Coello is the Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development & Inclusion for the UNI Athletic Department. She assumed the director role for Office of Student-Athlete Development, which includes athletics academic advising and the life skills program in September 2022.
Greve-Coello was promoted to assistant athletics director Oct. 7, 2021, serving as an academic advisor and the life skills coordinator.
In her role, she provides academic advisement for the volleyball, softball, women's basketball and swimming and diving teams. Additionally, she oversees the Panther Life Skills programming. This includes the development and implementation of programs to meet the personal and professional needs of all UNI student-athletes.
Prior to her role at UNI, Greve-Coello worked at the University of South Florida (USF) as the assistant coordinator in the Bulls' mentoring program. She assisted in the development and implementation of the student-athlete professional mentoring program, and aided in the facilitation of various Enhancing U programs.
Greve-Coello earned her Bachelor of Arts in Family Services from UNI in 2011 and her Master of Arts in Gerontology from USF in 2014.
As an undergraduate at UNI, she served as an academic coach and tutor under the supervision of Kara Park.
She and her husband, Elard, have two daughters, Lee and Quinn, and live in Waterloo.
Job Titles:
- Director of Player Development / Softball Operations
Andrew McKay was named Director of Ticket Sales with UNI Athletics in August of 2023 through the Apsire Group. In his role with the Panthers, McKay assists in ticket sales for UNI events and guest experiences for fans.
A Davenport, Iowa native, McKay came to UNI after spending two seasons as Director of Ticketing for the Quad City Storm, a professional ice hockey team in the SPHL from 2021-23. He previously spent time with the Storm from 2018-20 in numerous roles, including as an Account Executive. McKay also spent a year and a half as Director of Operations for the Clinton Lumberkings baseball team of the Prospect League, as well as a year as an Account Exectuive with Learfield ticket solutions.
McKay earned his associate's degree in general studies from Scott Community College in 2014 as a member of the Dean's List before graduting with a bachelor's degree in sport management from St. Ambrose University in 2017.
Job Titles:
- Director of Football Operations
- Title / Director of Football Operations
Job Titles:
- Facilities & Operations Director
- Retail Operations Manager
- Title / Facilities & Operations Director
Andrew Stallman was promoted to Concessions and Retail Operations Manager in August 2021. He was previously the Assistant Concessions Manager and has been a full-time staff member at UNI since 2013.
Stallman oversees food service needs at outlets and stands throughout the UNI-Dome and McLeod Center on game days, for concerts and at other expos and exhibits UNI hosts. He is also partially responsible for the experience in UNI suites and working with teams for beverage needs on game day.
Stallman is a 2011 graduate of UNI's construction management program. While attending UNI, he held positions with UNI Athletics Facilities working security and doing game day setup operations. He worked for Peters Construction directly out of college before joining UNI full time.
Job Titles:
- Athletics Operations Coordinator
Ann Arns joined the UNI athletic department in Oct. 2017 as Athletic Operations Coordinator, where she oversees daily operations of the athletic department with administrative tasks to assisting in team management.
Arns earned her bachelor's degree in physical and elementary education from Drake in 1985 before taking on a teaching position at Waverly-Shell Rock High School for 14 years. After earning a master's degree in teaching and coaching from UNI in 1992, Arns received an education specialist degree from Drake in 2002. Arns also served as chair of the HPEA Committee at Wartburg College in Waverly from 1999 to 2017.
Arns currently resides in Waverly, Iowa with her husband Dave.
Job Titles:
- Student Assistant ( XC, T & F )
Atif Austin returned to UNI in 2021 after spending five seasons as running backs coach and special teams coordinator for the Panthers from 2005-10. The Panthers made three FCS Playoff appearances during his first stint in Cedar Falls.
Austin came to UNI from Northern Illinois. He worked with the NIU running backs, and served as special teams coordinator.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Coach
- Title / Assistant Coach
The UNI Swimming and Diving team has announced the hiring of Ben Colin as the team's Assistant Coach.
"Throughout the process Ben demonstrated his passion for UNI and swimming in the state of Iowa", stated head swimming and diving coach Nick Lakin. "Ben is well known and universally liked, has been a part of the swimming community in the state of Iowa for decades and will bring a ton of enthusiasm and knowledge to the position. We are so thankful to have Ben joining us on deck this year and excited for the future of UNI swimming and diving."
Colin, a Dubuque, Iowa native, joins the UNI staff after a four year swimming career at the University of Iowa and most recently coached with the Dubuque Area Swimmin' Hurricanes. While at the University of Iowa Colin earned his degree in Sport & Recreation Management and Journalism, & Mass Communications. He was a three time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and served as the chair of the Iowa Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
While at Iowa Colin was named the 2019 NCAA Jim McKay Scholar for excellence in sport communication. He was active in Iowa Swimming, Inc as a representative on the governance and technical planning committees.
Job Titles:
- Coach
- Head
- Title / Head Coach
University of Northern Iowa head coach Ben Jacobson personifies class and dignity on and off the floor as the leader of the Panther men's basketball team. As the UNI men's basketball program's all-time wins leader, he boasts an overall record of 335-218 (.605 winning percentage) through 17 seasons. Jacobson has averaged 19.7 wins per season at UNI.
He has guided the Panthers to four NCAA Tournament appearances and four NCAA victories. Jacobson is a five-time MVC Coach of the Year and ranks third all-time in the MVC coaching victories. He also ranks third in the league record book for MVC-only wins with 183 triumphs.
Jacobson is the only coach in the history of the Missouri Valley Conference to have recorded two wins over two different No. 1-ranked teams (Kansas, North Carolina).
Under Jacobson, UNI placed in the top half of the MVC during 12 seasons. Prior to him joining the staff in 2001, the Panthers had only finished in the upper half twice since joining the conference in 1991. At one point, UNI rolled off 16 consecutive top half finishes beginning in 2003.
Jacobson has guided the Panthers to postseason play in seven seasons including four trips to the NCAA Tournament (2009, 2010, 2015, and 2016). UNI reached the Sweet 16 in 2010 following wins over UNLV and No. 1-ranked Kansas. UNI competed in the 2012 National Invitation Tournament and scored a first-round road victory over Saint Joseph's. The Panthers made their second NIT appearance in program history in 2022 with a first-round road win at Saint Louis. UNI also took part in the 2011 and 2013 CollegeInsider.com Tournament. UNI advanced to the semifinals of the 2013 CIT. The Panthers scored a 71-54 win over Wyoming in the 2015 NCAA Tournament to secure the fourth all-time tournament victory for the program. UNI produced its fifth NCAA Tournament win with a 75-72 triumph over Texas in the 2016 tournament.
Jacobson has ten players earn First Team All-MVC, ten earn second team, and nine earn third team or honorable mention in his tenure. He has also seen UNI honored with four Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year honorees in Adam Koch (2010), Seth Tuttle (2015) and AJ Green (2020, 2022).
Jacobson has also seen 33 players earn Academic All-Conference honors for the Panthers in his time at UNI. Adam Koch (2010), Nate Buss (2015) and AJ Green (2020, 2022) each earned MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors for the Panthers.
The Panthers have had many make immediate impacts during Jacobson's tenure with 12 players earning a spot on either the MVC All-Newcomer or MVC All-Freshmen teams since the 2006-07 season. Seth Tuttle earned MVC Freshman of the Year honors in 2012, with AJ Green earning the honor in 2019, and Bowen Born in 2021.
Following the 2020-21 season, Jacobson was awarded a two-year contract extension that will run through March 31, 2029.
Job Titles:
- Associate Athletics Director for Compliance and Sport Administration
Associate Athletics Director for Compliance and Sport Administration Ben Messerli joined UNI Athletics in 2013 and took on sport administration duties with a promotion in September 2022.
He serves as the sport administrator for men's and women's golf, women's tennis and swimming and diving.
Messerli came to UNI from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga where he served as the Mocs' Assistant Director of Compliance from April 2013 to July 2014. He assisted in all aspects of NCAA, Southern Conference and UTC compliance for the Mocs.
Prior to his time at UTC, Messerli was an Athletic Compliance Assistant at the University of North Dakota from July 2012 to March 2013. Messerli also gained experience at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he worked as an assistant in the Athletic Compliance Office while attending graduate school. Messerli obtained his master's degree in sport management from Tennessee in 2012.
Messerli graduated from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, in 2010 with a degree in business administration. He played football and golf for the Knights and eventually served as a student assistant defensive coach for the football team during their run to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III playoffs.
He also served internships at the Air Force Academy (Athletic Development/Marketing) and at the University of Iowa (Football - Administrative Intern).
He and his wife, Jess, reside in Cedar Falls with their daughters Blayke and Parker.
Job Titles:
- Coach
- Founder
- Head
- Dive Coach
Hovland earned the Missouri Valley Diving Coach of the Year recognition in 2022 after coaching diver Taylor Hogan to a 3 meter conference title and 3rd place finish on 1 meter. Under coach Hovland's leadership, Hogan was named the 2022 Missouri Valley Conference Diver of the Year, making her the first diver in school history to win this award. To conclude the 2021-2022 season, Hogan qualified and competed at the NCAA Zone D Diving Championships.
Hovland found success during the 2021-2022 season where three of her divers placed in the A final on 1 meter at the MVC Conference Championships and two divers earned honorable mention conference recognition.
During the 2019-2020 season, two of Coach Hovland's divers earned Missouri Valley Conference Diver of the Week honors. At the Missouri Valley Conference Championships in 2020, Bethany led freshman diver Anna Penning to a top 8 finish, earning her the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman Diver of the Year title.
Upon her hire in July 2018, Hovland still held the 1-meter and 3-meter school records at the University of Northern Iowa. She was the 1-meter Missouri Valley Conference Champion in 2011, making her the first diver in school history to win a conference title. After making four-straight appearances at the NCAA Zone Diving Championships, the "Bethany Hovland Diver of the Year" award was established in her honor in 2013.
Hovland is the founder and head coach of Cedar Valley Diving Club, where she trains divers ages 8-18 years old. She coached high school diving from 2013-17. During her high school coaching career, she coached a two-time state champion along with multiple state qualifiers and finishers, including athletes who continued their diving careers at the collegiate level.
As a native of Cedar Falls, Hovland began her diving career at Cedar Falls High School where she held the 6 and 11 dive school records. She was a two-time Iowa High School State Champion and earned All-American status in 2009.
Hovland earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Northern Iowa in 2013 and her master's degree in teaching at Morningside College in 2017. Bethany lives in Cedar Falls, Iowa with her husband Nolan, and their three kids, Benson (5), Laina (3), and Josiah (1).
When thinking about the tradition-filled history of UNI volleyball, few names jump out like Bobbi Petersen's. A former standout on the court for UNI - and arguably the greatest player in the school's history - she has continued her connection with the Purple and Old Gold as both an assistant coach and as the head coach. Under her guidance, she has taken UNI volleyball from its usual standard of excellence to a tier among the nation's elite programs.
Petersen begins her 24th season as the Panther head coach in 2023. Petersen has posted an impressive 557-202 record at the helm of the UNI program. Petersen has guided UNI to 16 NCAA Tournament appearances. She has tallied ten Missouri Valley Conference regular season titles, ten MVC Tournament crowns and two NCAA "Sweet 16" appearances to her credit. Petersen has been named MVC Coach of the Year seven times (2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2019, 2022). Petersen has also earned AVCA All-Region Coach of the Year honors four times (2001, 2002, 2018, 2019) and took home the AVCA National Coach of the Year award in 2002. She enters the 2023 season winning 20 or more matches in 19 of her 23 years as head coach.
During her tenure as head coach, Petersen has helped 64 individuals earn First Team All-MVC honors including 14 conference Player of the Year winners. She has also placed 23 people on the league's All-Freshman Teams. In addition, she has helped 32 individuals earn AVCA All-Region honors, and 15 Panthers have been named AVCA All-Americans.
Academically, the Panthers have shined under Petersen's guidance as well. A total of 42 people have earned First Team MVC Scholar-Athlete honors during her time at the helm with 11 women earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-America honors. In 2013, UNI was the only NCAA Division I school to have two players earn Academic All-America honors as Shelby Kintzel was named to the First Team, and Macy Ubben was named to the Second Team.
UNI's 2022 season was one for the record books as the Panthers captured their tenth MVC regular season championship with a 17-1 record, posting the greatest single-season turnaround in league history. Led by four First Team All-MVC performers including Inga Rotto and Carly Spies, along with MVC Setter of the Year Tayler Alden and conference Libero of the Year in Sydney Petersen, UNI won its tenth MVC Tournament title to earn the program's 24th NCAA Tournament berth. The Panthers also earned the program's first NCAA Tournament win since 2019 with a three-set sweep over Florida State. For the historic season, Petersen was named MVC Coach of the Year for a seventh time, tying her former college coach and predecessor Iradge Ahrabi-Fard for the most honors in conference history.
Reeder was also a graduate assistant at Eastern Illinois during the 2010 season working with defensive backs.
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer - Cross Country / Track & Field
Boone Tomlinson enters his second year as an athletic trainer with UNI Athletics in 2023-24, where he oversees cross country and track and field.
In his first season with the Panthers, Tomlinson worked with the tennis, cross country, and track and field teams.
Prior to his full-time title with UNI, Tomlinson was an intern athletic trainer for the purple and gold as well as a Dome Operations athletic trainer and a graduate assistant athletic trainer all for the Panthers.
Job Titles:
- Associate Head Coach
- Title / Associate Head Coach
Brad Nelson enters his 26th season with the Panthers. He was named Associate Head Coach in June 2016 and works primarily with the Panther offense and also assists with scouting, recruiting, and all facets of practice.
Job Titles:
- Strength & Conditioning Coach
Iowa native Brandon Ronan joined the UNI strength and conditioning staff in the spring of 2022. Originally from Waukon, Iowa, Ronan oversees strength and conditioning for both the UNI men's and women's basketball teams, the swimming and diving program, and assists with football training.
A certified strength and conditioning specialist, Ronan comes to Cedar Falls after spending the last eight years at the University of Montana, where he most recently served as Director of Athletic Performance. Ronan earned his bachelor's degree from Loras College in Dubuque in sports science in 2013, where he played four seasons of football for the Duhawks. A key piece of the Loras defense, Ronan was named All-Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as a senior in 2012, and also earned a conference defensive player of the week honor. While an undergrad, Ronan earned experience in the field interning for both the Loras and Boise State strength and conditioning programs, helping demonstrate techniques for running and weight lifting for athletes.
Following a summer internship in 2013 with Stanford Sports Performance in Palo Alto, Ronan interned and later became a graduate assistant at the University of Montana while studying to earn a master's degree in health and human performance. After graduating from Montana in 2016, he took on full time duties with the Grizzlies as Assistant Director of Athletic Performance, serving as the head strength coach for Montana volleyball, women's basketball, track and field, and cross county. He also assisted in strength coaching for football, and became an adjunct professor of Health and Human Performance at Montana, teaching basic concepts of strength training and conditioning, before being promoted to Director of Athletic Performance in November 2017.
Job Titles:
- General Manager
- Title / General Manager
Brian Gabel joined Panther Sports Properties in May 2013. Panther Sports Properties solely represents the University of Northern Iowa. In complete collaboration with the university, this locally based LEARFIELD team is committed to extending the affinity of the UNI brand to businesses and corporations of all sizes looking to align with the undeniably loyal and passionate collegiate fan base.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations
- Director for Facilities and Operations at the University of Northern Iowa
Brooke Croshier-Sidebotham serves as the Assistant Athletics Director for Facilities and Operations at the University of Northern Iowa, joining the UNI athletics staff in Sept. 2013.
Croshier-Sidebotham served as the associate director of event management at Iowa State University beginning in August 2008. At Iowa State, she assisted with game day operations for the Cyclones' sporting events as well as coordinated all event services including trade shows, conferences, career fairs, special rentals and concerts.
Erickson is in his seventh season as the Panthers head women's soccer coach after taking over the job on Feb. 10, 2017. He is the sixth head coach in program history after serving as the head women's soccer coach at Wayne State (Neb.) for two years and prior to that was the head women's soccer coach at Creighton University from 1999-2014. In30 years as a head coach at the collegiate level, Erickson has compiled an overall record of 290-231-59.
In the 2022 season, the Panthers had one of their best seasons in program history, finishing with a 6-6-8 record while making it to the MVC Tournament Semifinal round for the first time since 2017. UNI ended the season with 23 goals, 16 assists, 91 saves, 261 shots, and 122 shots on goal. During the 2022 season, Erickson became UNI Soccer's all-time wins leader as a Head Coach with 43 wins over six seasons. Along with the Panthers best postseason finish in over five years, multiple UNI players earned postseason accomplishments. Forward Lauren Heinsch was named to the All-MVC First Team, the MVC Scholar Athlete of the Year, CSC Academic-All District, and the United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Third Team. Freshman midfielder Caroline Hazen was named to the MVC All-Freshman Team while senior midfielder Lizzie Mewes made the MVC All-Tournament Team and the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team. Junior goalkeeper Caitlin Richards was also named to the MVC All-Tournament Team along with the CSC All-District Team.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Head Coach
- Assistant Head Coach Defensive Line
Bryce Paup rejoined the Panther in July 2018. In addition to leading the defensive line, he was named assistant head coach starting the 2022 season.
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer - Women's Basketball, Women 's Golf
Cari Zubke joined the staff at UNI in 2020 and oversees athletic training services for the UNI women's basketball program, as well as the women's golf team. She came to UNI from Tennessee Tech where she worked for two years.
Prior to her time at Tennessee Tech, Zubke spent six seasons at NCAA Division III Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. She earned her Master's Degree from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. She earned her undergraduate degree from Wichita State University in 2010.
During her senior year at Wichita State, Zubke also completed a nine-month internship at local Division II Newman University.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Associate Professor
- Coach
- Title / Assistant Coach
Kowalski enters his seventh year with the Panthers after joining in 2017. Prior to UNI, he served as the Head Girls Soccer Coach at Cedar Falls High School and as the director of operations for FC Midwest Soccer Academy.
From 2015-2017, Kowalski served as the head coach for the Cedar Falls High School girls' soccer team. His teams went to three sub-state finals and finished the 2017 season ranked in the top 15 for the state of Iowa for the first time in school history.
From 2004-2012, he served as the director of operations for FC Midwest Soccer Academy, as well as the head coach for the U13, U17 and U18 Girls Teams. During his tenure with FC Midwest, Kowalski coached over 30 players who subsequently competed as collegiate student-athletes at the NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA levels.
Kowalski also serves as an associate professor in the Leisure, Youth & Human Services Division at UNI. He has spent 20 years teaching in the division, and his research involves topics related to youth development and success in athletics, including coaching efficacy, leadership, and hazing/bullying prevention. He has co-authored or written chapters for nine books as well as published over 50 articles and presentations at the state, national, and international levels.
Kowalski holds NSCAA Regional, Goalkeeping I, and Zonal Defending diplomas. He also has his USSF "D" License. He earned his doctorate in education with an emphasis in youth development from the University of Northern Iowa, his master's degree in recreation management from the University of Idaho, and his bachelor's degrees in psychology, sociology, and criminal justice from Creighton University.
He resides in Cedar Falls with his wife, Crystal, and their two children, Norah (7) and Lukas (5).
Job Titles:
- Coach
- Head
- Title / Head Coach
Sagers led the Panthers to a 16-7 dual mark in his first year as the UNI head coach. UNI's 16 dual wins was the most for the program since the 2010-11 season. Under Sagers's guidance, UNI senior Erica Medlin was named the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year.
UNI posted an 11-2 home record in Sagers's inaugural year with the Panthers - a stretch that included a 17-match home win streak that carried over from the 2013-14 season. UNI placed third in the MVC standings with a 5-2 dual mark. The Panthers knocked off Bradley in the MVC Tournament quarterfinals before falling to Drake in the semis.
Sagers is a certified USPTA Elite tennis professional with more than 15 years of teaching experience. He served as the head tennis professional at the Black Hawk Tennis Club from 1999-2011 before taking over as owner in 2011. He continues to serve as the Director of Tennis at the Black Hawk Tennis Club. Sagers also served as a head tennis professional at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines from May 1999 to Sept. 1999.
Sagers played for the UNI men's tennis team from 1995-99. He played No. 1 singles and doubles for the Panthers.
Sagers and his wife, Tara, reside in Cedar Falls with their two daughters, Madison (9), and Mackenzie (5).
Job Titles:
- Student Assistant ( MGOLF )
Job Titles:
- Student Assistant ( WGOLF )
Job Titles:
- Director of Basketball Operations
Darion Hutchinson enters her fifth season as the Director of Basketball Operations. She joined the Panther staff prior to the 2019-20 season.
She came to UNI from Indiana State where she worked as the DOBO for the Sycamore women's basketball team. She was began her tenure with the ISU in 2017 and during her time in Terra Haute, she organized and supervised all aspects of logistics for travel and organization for the team.
She served as an interim assistant coach with the Sycamores for the offseason in 2017, helping with recruiting and organizing summer camps.
She served internships with the Indiana Pacers and the Indiana University athletic department.
She has a masters in sports management from Indiana State and earned a BS in communications from the University of Indianapolis.
She started her career at Bellarmine University (Ky.) where she played three seasons before closing out her career at the University of Indianapolis.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director of Track & Field / Cross Country
Dave Paulsen enters first season as the director of track & field/cross in 2022-23 after being elevated to the position in October 2022. Paulsen who served as head coach of both the track and field and cross country teams since 2015, continues to oversee the day-to-day operations of both programs. He has been part of UNI's running programs for 14 years after serving as an assistant coach for UNI prior to the 2015-16 season at his alma mater.
He has been name the Missouri Valley Coach of the Year six times. Under Paulsen's direction, the UNI men earned their third consecutive MVC track and field outdoor title in 2021. It was the 10th outdoor title in program history for UNI.
Job Titles:
- Volunteer Assistant Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Coach - Sprints and Hurdles
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer - Assistant Football
Dillon Hinrickson enters his first season on the UNI Athletics staff in 2023-24 after spending time at St. Louis University.
Prior to coming to UNI, Hinrickson worked for St. Louis University from 2022-2023 and the University of Nebraska - Kearney from 2021-2022. He was also a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Texas State, his Alma Mater, from 2019-2021.
At SLU, Hinrickson worked with the football and softball teams, at Nebraska - Kearney he worked with football and women's tennis, and at Texas State he worked with football.
Hinrickson also has experience working with FloSports Wrestling and as an NFL summer intern with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Job Titles:
- Director of Athletic Training Services / Men 's Basketball
Don Bishop, Director of Athletic Training Services, is in his 23rd year at UNI in 2023-24.
He is directly responsible for the health care of the men's basketball team and supervision of ten certified athletic trainers on the UNI athletic training staff.
Bishop also is a clinical instructor and preceptor within the UNI Athletic Training Education Program. Prior to his arrival at UNI, he was the director of athletic training education and head athletic trainer for seven years at Upper Iowa University.
He is certified in Blood Flow Restriction (BFR), Active Release Technique along with other manual therapy skills.
Bishop was recognized as the Collegiate Athletic Trainer of the Year by the Iowa Athletic Trainers' Society (IATS) in 2013. He has also been recognized four times by the UNI Athletic Training Education Program as Clinical Instructor/Preceptor of the Year.
Bishop received his bachelor's degree in health, physical education and recreation from Upper Iowa in 1992 and his master's in health, physical education and leisure services from UNI in 1997. In his position at Upper Iowa, he coordinated athletic training coverage for 17 sports teams.
Prior to joining Upper Iowa's staff, he was the clinical athletic training outreach coordinator at Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital in Decorah, Iowa, from 1992-94, and was an adjunct instructor at Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar, Iowa, in spring 1994.
Bishop is a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA), Mid-America Athletic Trainer's Society and the College Athletic Trainers' Society. He served on the NATA College/University Athletic Training Student Committee and has been an examiner for NATA Board of Certification Exam.
In his free time, Bishop is an avid runner and has taken part in numerous marathons, including multiple Twin Cities Marathons.
He and his wife, Sheri, have two daughters, Bri and Tori, a son-in-law, Cleighton Watson two grandsons, Riggins and Callahan Watson.
Job Titles:
- Coach
- Head
- Title / Head Coach
Doug Schwab is the Panthers' ninth head coach in the program's illustrious history. He enters his 13th season at UNI in 2022-23 season. Thirteen UNI student-athletes have earned 18 all-America honors under his leadership, including 184-pounder Parker Keckeisen, a two-time all-American. Keckeisen earned the highest all-America honors of a redshirt freshman since the 1950s with a third-place finish in 2021. Schwab has coached eight teams to a top-20 NCAA championship finish. The Panthers are on a five-tournament streak of having at least one all-America selection.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Coach
- Title / Assistant Coach
NCAA and two-time Big 12 champion Drew Foster begins his first season as a full-time assistant coach with UNI wrestling with the 2023-24 season.
A two-time All-American and three-time NCAA qualifiers at 184 pounds for the Panthers, Foster became UNI's first national champion since 2000 when he clinched the NCAA championship in St. Louis. The 14th individual Panther to clinch a national title, he recorded ten top-20 wins during his senior season at UNI, including three victories over No. 5 Zack Zavatsky of Virginia Tech (twice at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite, once at the NCAA Championships), as well as No. 6 Max Dean in the NCAA finals. He also took home tournament titles at the Midlands Championships and the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open.
As a junior, Foster went 26-6 to win his first Big 12 title, beginning a stretch of six consecutive seasons of Panther wrestlers winning a conference title at 184 pounds. With top-20 wins over No. 8 Jordan Ellingwood (Central Michigan), No. 13 Max Dean (Cornell) and No. 16 Chip Ness (North Carolina) on the year. That season he also became the 14th Panther wrestler in history to participate in the NWCA All-Star Classic. Foster would earn his second straight NCAA Championship berth, grabbing a first-round win over Kordell Norfleet (Arizona State).
Foster earned his first All-American honor as a sophomore en route to a seventh place finish the 2017 NCAA Championships in Cleveland after finishing as runner-up at 184 pounds at the MAC Championships. In 2017, he placed second at the conference championships while also taking sixth at the Southern Scuffle.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Business Manager / Concessions & Facilities
- Assistant Business Manager of Concessions
Erin Frahm started as Assistant Business Manager of Concessions and Facilities in August 2022. She previously served as the budget and accounts supervisor in the Camp Adventure Deptartment for six years.
Frahm oversees the day-to-day business operations for facilities and concessions, venue expenditures and contract payables and receivables and coordinating pre-event set up of inventory and stand sheets. In addition, she manages cash office operations and personnel for all events, oversight of cash management, point of sale for concession operations and the scheduling time card system for concession employees, volunteers, students, and non-profit service organizations.
Originally from central Iowa, she started her education at Iowa Central Community College. She moved to the Cedar Valley area in 2012 and obtained her master's degree at UNI in 2019.
Frahm and her husband, Jerrod, live in Cedar Falls, and have two daughters, Paige and Anna.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Coach
- Title / Assistant Coach
Ethan Jacobsen joined the UNI swimming and diving coaching staff ahead of the 2023-24 season as an assistant swim coach.
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer - Wrestling, Men 's Golf
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Coach
- Title / Assistant Coach
Gameli Ahelegbe is in his second season with the UNI men's basketball team as an assistant coach in the 2023-24 season.
Ahelegbe joins the Panther staff after most recently serving as an assistant coach at the University of St. Thomas for the 2021-22 season. Prior to his time in St. Paul, Ahelegbe coached seven seasons at the University of South Dakota, where helped the Coyotes to a Summit League championship in 2016-17. He has also held coaching positions at Minnesota State, Concordia-Moorhead and the University of North Dakota, where he was part of a pair of Great West Conference tournament titles with the Fighting Hawks in 2011 and 2012.
"I'm so fired up to join Coach Ben Jacobson's staff and the Northern Iowa men's basketball program," said Ahelegbe. "I've been able to be a part of some of the program's greatest moments as a family member and friend of the program. To have an opportunity to be involved in the day-to-day trenches of molding teenagers into men, all while being able to compete for MVC championships and deep runs in the NCAA tournament, is something my family and I couldn't pass on. Thank you to the administration, Coach Jake, my family! I can't wait to get to Cedar Falls to get to work, get involved in the community and meet with the passionate UNI fan base!"
Ahelegbe played four seasons collegiately at Neosho County Community College, as well as Minnesota State Mankato from 2003-05 before embarking on a professional career in the A.B.A. with the Toledo Ice. In his two seasons as a Maverick, Minnesota State won 42 games, highlighted by a 24-8 campaign in 2004-05 where they advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
A native of the Twin Cities, Ahelegbe holds a bachelor's degree in education from Minnesota State, as well as a master's degree in athletic and activities administration from St. Thomas. Ahelegbe and his wife, Syreeta, have four children, daughters Aniah, Azalyn and Ariella, along with a son, Amawuli (AJ). Ahelegbe is the older brother of former UNI standout guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe, who played for the Panthers from 2006-10 and was a member of UNI's 2010 NCAA Tournament run to the Sweet 16.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Basketball Operations
Job Titles:
- Director of Basketball Operations
Job Titles:
- Director of Broadcasting / Play - by - Play Broadcaster ( FB MBB )
Job Titles:
- Facilities and Operations Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Athletic Development Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Director for Communication ( VB, No. 2 FB, MBB, WR )
- Athletic Communications
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Communications Director ( No. 1 FB, WBB )
Job Titles:
- Student Assistant ( S & D )
Job Titles:
- Deputy Athletic Director for Internal Operations
- Facilities / Operations
Job Titles:
- Associate Athletic Director for Business
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer - Swimming & Diving, Softball
Job Titles:
- Athletic Communications Assistant ( WSOC, SB )
Job Titles:
- Manager of Ticket Operations
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer - Assistant Football
Job Titles:
- Volunteer Assistant Coach - Throws
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer - Assistant Cross Country / Track & Field, Tennis
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer - Football
Job Titles:
- Director of Volleyball Operations
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Director for Revenue Generation
Job Titles:
- Manager of Business Development
Job Titles:
- Assistant Manager for Sales & Servic
Job Titles:
- Student Assistant ( WRE )
Job Titles:
- Student Assistant ( TEN )
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant
- Support Staff
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer - Soccer
Job Titles:
- Equipment Manager
- Equipment