Jamie Pollard’s bold leadership pushed Iowa State into national spotlight

When Jamie Pollard was first introduced as Iowa State’s athletics director on Sept. 19, 2005, he quickly marked his — or rather, the Cyclones’ — territory.

After unranked Iowa State football upset then-ranked No. 3 Iowa, 23-3, in that season’s Cy-Hawk game, Pollard commissioned a billboard in Hawkeye territory over in Cedar Rapids that read, “It’s a Cyclone state.”

It was bold, unique and different. It was also indicative of what to expect from Pollard, who is unafraid to express himself, passionate about the Cyclones and from the outset had a vision for Iowa State athletics, which had long been deemed little brother to its rival in the eastern half of the state.

The billboard riled up those with Cyclone and Hawkeye allegiances. The initiative is still discussed years later and occasionally referenced.

Pollard is still around, too, although his time as an athletics director is coming to a close.

On July 10, he announced his retirement, which will be effective on June 30, 2027, or whenever Iowa State has hired his successor — whichever comes first.

“My wife, Ellen, and I look forward to the next chapter in our life’s journey and it is important to us that we transition now, while we are both healthy and young, so we can fully enjoy our retirement years,” stated Pollard. “I am grateful to President (David) Cook for allowing me to share this news now and hopefully it will allow the university plenty of time to properly transition new leadership to our department during a transformational time in college athletics.

“When we moved to Ames in 2005, we did not anticipate the impact being a Cyclone would have on our family. The personal and professional opportunities our family has experienced during the past 21 years have been truly amazing.”

Pollard is entering his 22nd year as athletic director at Iowa State, is the longest-tenured athletic director in school history and the longest-tenured active power-conference AD in the country.

The Oshkosh, Wisconsin, native first arrived in Ames after serving as associate and deputy athletics director roles at Wisconsin from 1998-2005. He also had administrative roles at Saint Louis and Maryland.

The nationwide search for a new athletics director is expected to begin this fall. Until then, Pollard plans on making sure his successor will be in good standing going forward.

“A big thing for Ellen and me, is there is a ‘next,’ and we want to physically and mentally be able to enjoy ‘next,’ but, at the same time, I want to make sure when that day comes, that we hand it off in as good a spot as can be,” Pollard told the Register in June. “… At some point in time, you have to transition it to whatever comes next and unfortunately, our industry, the ground’s changing under our feet as we talk. We’re going to have to figure out how to deal with that part of it, and I think a big part for Iowa State is just making sure our financial situation is as solid as it can be. It’s not clearly what it once was, but we’re never going back to those days, either.”

From upgraded facilities, key coaching hires, to recent athletics success, Cyclone and Hawkeye fans will continue the endless debate about superiority with or without the infamous billboard. But there’s no doubting the growth and change across Iowa State athletics throughout Pollard’s time as AD.

Iowa holds the edge in the all-time series records for the Cy-Hawk rivalry, but recent years have shown that the Cyclones now have a seat at the big-boy table nationally.

“I’ve been witnessing all the stuff that he’s done and I think — I don’t know technically who is going to be on the Mount Rushmore of Iowa State athletics, but I think he’s got to be there because of what he’s done for all of us,” longtime Iowa State women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly said. “You embrace who you are, you don’t apologize for what you’re not and I think he learned quickly like, ‘Hey, we can’t change the weather here, we can’t change the population.’ We have to change our facilities, we have to make Iowa State fans really proud of who we are and what we’re about. How do we do that? He really did a great job of it.

“You don’t stay in a job like that this long without being really good at it, but at the same time, being respected within the building.”

Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard gives Cy-Hawk game update

Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard gives a Cy-Hawk game update.

While former athletics directors Gene Smith and Bruce Van De Velde began fundraising efforts at Iowa State, Pollard exponentially accelerated and revolutionized the Cyclones’ fundraising success.

Athletics fundraising increased from $9 million the year prior to his arrival to $53 million during the 2025-26 academic year.

The administration invested more than $400 million in new facilities and building upgrades. Some of the most impactful completed projects include the construction of the Stark Performance Center, the Sukup Basketball Complex and the pedestrian bridge, as well as renovations to the Bergstrom Football Complex, Jack Trice Stadium and the south end zone project.

“You step foot in the facilities now, and there’s nothing to laugh at anymore,” said Dan McCarney, who coached Iowa State football from 1995-2006. “… When I walk in those facilities over there right now, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said to my former assistant coaches I would have just loved one day, just one month, I would have loved to bring recruits and their families, former players and fans into those facilities now that have been built under Jamie’s leadership.

“There’s commitment, it is big-time. Is it the best in America? I don’t know and I don’t care. I just know it’s the best in the history of Iowa State athletics and that doesn’t just happen. You got to have vision, you got to be a dreamer and then you got to have a path and a plan to get you there, and I think that’s what will be a big part of Jamie’s legacy.”

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Pollard made integral coaching hires, such as football coach Matt Campbell, who became the winningest coach in program history and established consistency over his decade-long run with the Cyclones before departing for Penn State.

In men’s basketball, Pollard hired hometown legend Fred Hoiberg, whose banner was hung in the rafters of Hilton Coliseum in 2010. “The Mayor” returned to coach his alma mater despite not having any prior coaching experience. Hoiberg broke a 14-year drought by leading the Cyclones to their first Big 12 Tournament title and Sweet 16 appearance in 2014. His team followed up with another Big 12 Tournament crown the following year, Hoiberg’s last before leaving for the Chicago Bulls.

Pollard made another instrumental basketball coaching hire by bringing in former assistant T.J. Otzelberger to become head coach. Otzelberger inherited a 2-22 team and restored the Cyclones into the national spotlight. The Cyclones have made the NCAA Tournament each year and reached three Sweet 16s under his watch.

Women’s basketball has been a frequent NCAA Tournament participant and won a Big 12 Tournament title in 2023.

There has also been success in Olympic sports. Wrestling also returned to national relevance with the hiring of Kevin Dresser and is now in the midst of a transition period with new head coach Brent Metcalf and the introduction of women’s wrestling. Iowa State continues to be a power in cross country and track and field. Women’s golf won its first Big 12 team title in 2026.

Throughout Pollard’s two decades in Ames, the Cyclones have won 24 Big 12 team championships across eight different sports. They’ve registered all-time program-best finishes in nine different sports and crowned 24 NCAA individual champions. Iowa State has won four of the last five Cy-Hawk Series and 11 titles overall.

Pollard earned Division I FBS athletics director of the year honors from NACDA in 2019 and 2023.

“Excited for him, but it’s hard to see him go because it’s all I’ve ever really known is him working in college sports and especially Iowa State,” said his eldest son Thomas Pollard, the Cyclones men’s basketball director of recruiting. “Knowing how much Iowa State means to him and everything he’s put into this place, it’s hard to put it all into words.”

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Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard on 76-team NCAA Tournament expansion.

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There were some tough times and challenges that came during the climb to improve Iowa State athletics.

Financial struggles, uncertainty surrounding conference realignment, the COVID-19 pandemic, adapting to the new age of college athletics with NIL, transfer portal and revenue share, the elimination of the gymnastics program, and the inability to retain successful coaches such as Campbell, Hoiberg, former wrestling coach and alumnus Cael Sanderson, and former gymnastics coach K.J. Kindler, who became an eight-time national champion at Oklahoma.

Some financial issues remain. Last year, Iowa State athletics projected a $147 million budget deficit through 2031, which the school said was due to the House settlement that allowed for revenue sharing with student-athletes.

However, Pollard told the Register in June that through internal decisions and alterations, Iowa State has been able to cut that deficit to approximately $75 million over the next five years.

Regardless of the obstacles, Pollard has persisted. A 22-year run as a power-conference athletics director stands out in an ever-changing college landscape, from systems to personnel.

His retirement wasn’t a surprise to those close to him. Pollard’s ability to stay for as long as he did didn’t shock them, either.

“Number one, Jamie’s very smart,” Dresser said. “Number two, he’s very driven. And number three, I think you’ve got to have this — he’s not afraid to make hard decisions that are going to upset people. He sees the big picture and he’s got a vision. Any time you’re in charge, you’re going to hurt feelings and step on toes, and he accepted that part of his job and he might not have liked it all the time, but he did the things he had to do to make Iowa State continue to progress.”

Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.