​Iowa State University announced on Friday, July 10, that longtime athletics director Jamie Pollard is stepping down. Pollard, who has served as the Cyclones’ AD longer than anyone in the school’s history, is retiring after more than two decades at the helm, a tenure that also made him the nation’s longest-serving active Power Five athletics director. The university indicated Pollard plans to retire on June 30, 2027, or sooner if a successor is hired before that date.
In remarks accompanying the news release, Pollard reflected on the move with gratitude for the path that brought his family to Ames and the opportunities they have enjoyed since 2005. “When we moved to Ames in 2005, we did not anticipate the impact being a Cyclone would have on our family,” Pollard said. “The personal and professional opportunities our family has experienced during the past 21 years have been truly amazing.”
Pollard’s tenure as athletics director has been marked by notable achievements across the university’s sports programs, fundraising, and facilities. Under his leadership, Iowa State collected 24 Big 12 team titles across eight sports, a significant rise in fundraising, and substantial investments in campus infrastructure. Fundraising totals increased from just over $9 million in the year before his arrival to $53 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year, highlighting a strong growth trajectory in support for ISU athletics. In addition to athletic success, more than $400 million has been invested in new construction and upgrades to facilities within the Ames community, including the anticipated CyTown district, which is part of a broader push to enhance student life and campus services in the region.
Pollard’s work has also earned national recognition within the college athletics community. He was named the Football Subdivision Athletics Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics on two occasions, first in 2019 and again in 2023, underscoring his impact on football operations and broader athletic program leadership.
As Pollard prepares to exit his role, the university will begin a formal transition process to identify a successor who can continue the growth and strategic direction he helped establish. While the timeline for naming a new athletics director remains to be finalized, university officials have indicated that Pollard will stay on the job until his replacement is in place or until his planned retirement date, whichever comes first.
Cooper Worth, a service and trending reporter for the Des Moines Register, reported on the development and can be contacted at cworth@gannett.com. He also shares updates on X (formerly Twitter) at @CooperAWorth. This article originally appeared in the Des Moines Register as part of ongoing coverage of Iowa State athletics and Pollard’s forthcoming retirement after 22 years of leadership.