Megan Franklin named AD at UNI

CEDAR FALLS — The University of Northern Iowa’s five-month search for its next Director of Athletics ended Monday afternoon when President Mark Nook announced the hiring of Megan Franklin.

Franklin arrives at UNI after 12 years at Drake as Senior Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Initiatives and External Operations. She replaces David Harris, who left for Tulane University in January.

Pending approval by the Iowa Board of Regents, Franklin has agreed to a five-year contract to become the next leader of the UNI athletics department and is scheduled to begin her duties on May 13.

While at Drake, Franklin played a key role in Des Moines hosting NCAA men’s basketball tournament games in 2019 and 2023. She also was pivotal in helping forge a unique community/corporate partnership that led to the construction of Mediacom Stadium, where Drake’s soccer teams now play.

Franklin was a sport administrator for 15 sports at Drake and hired current football coach Todd Stepsis in 2018.

In a released statement, Nook praised Franklin’s vision for UNI and for being a “key contributor” to Drake’s athletics renaissance and said her years of experience in the Missouri Valley Conference “will be immediately beneficial to Panther Athletics.”

Franklin spent nine years at Virginia Tech before leaving for Drake and was the Hokies’ Director of Student Life her final four years in Blacksburg.

She earned her bachelor’s and master's degrees at the University of Nebraska and got her Ph.D in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Virginia Tech.

“I appreciate President Nook and Panthers everywhere for entrusting me with the responsibility of serving as UNI’s Director of Athletics,” Franklin said in a release Monday. “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!”