One of the most influential figures in Iowa State athletics is preparing to step away, bringing an end to an era that transformed the Cyclones into one of the nation’s most respected athletic programs. After more than 21 years leading Iowa State Athletics, Jamie Pollard has officially announced that he will retire, setting the stage for a major leadership transition in Ames.
Pollard, the longest-serving athletic director in Iowa State history and the longest-tenured active Power 4 athletic director in the country, plans to retire on June 30, 2027, or sooner if a successor is hired before then. The announcement gives Iowa State ample time to conduct a national search while preparing for one of the biggest administrative changes the university has faced in decades.
“My wife, Ellen, and I look forward to the next chapter in our life’s journey,” Pollard said in the university’s announcement. “It is important to us that we transition now, while we are both healthy and young, so we can fully enjoy our retirement years.”
Looking back on the family’s move to Ames in 2005, Pollard admitted they never expected Iowa State to become such a defining part of their lives.
“When we moved to Ames in 2005, we did not anticipate the impact being a Cyclone would have on our family,” he said. “The personal and professional opportunities our family has experienced during the past 21 years have been truly amazing.”
His departure marks the conclusion of one of the most successful periods in Iowa State athletics history.
Under Pollard’s leadership, Iowa State experienced remarkable growth both on the field and in the classroom. Student-athletes posted a school-record 95 percent Graduation Success Rate for the 2025-26 academic year, matching the previous three years while extending the program’s streak to 11 consecutive years of setting a new school record. The Cyclones also recorded a school-best multi-year Academic Progress Rate of 992 and earned 27 NCAA Public Recognition Awards across 11 sports during his tenure.
Success wasn’t limited to academics.
Since Pollard took over, Iowa State teams captured 24 Big 12 championships across eight different sports. The football program reached 11 bowl games, highlighted by its memorable victory in the 2021 Fiesta Bowl. The men’s basketball team earned 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, while the women’s program reached the NCAA Tournament 17 times.
The athletic department also celebrated all-time program-best finishes in nine different sports and produced 24 NCAA individual national champions.
One of Pollard’s proudest achievements came through Iowa State’s dominance in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series. The Cyclones have won four of the last five rivalry competitions and 11 overall, including a historic sweep this past year in volleyball, football, wrestling, men’s basketball and women’s basketball the first time Iowa State accomplished that feat.
University President David Cook praised Pollard for building a culture that reshaped Iowa State Athletics.
“Jamie Pollard’s bold vision has produced the most sustained period of academic and athletic excellence in Iowa State’s athletics history,” Cook said. “He leaves behind a tremendous foundation, culture and track record of success.”
Beyond wins and championships, Pollard dramatically changed the financial outlook of Iowa State Athletics.
Annual fundraising climbed from just over $9 million before his arrival to a record-breaking $53 million during the 2025-26 academic year. In 2013, he helped secure a historic $25 million donation from the Reiman family, the largest gift ever made to Iowa State Athletics.
Facility improvements became another defining part of his legacy.
More than $400 million was invested in construction and renovations that benefited every Cyclone sport. The centerpiece of those efforts was the $98 million Stark Performance Center, which opened in 2021 and provides student-athletes with academic support, sports nutrition, dining services and training resources under one roof.
Last December, Pollard and his wife, Ellen, received another lasting tribute when an anonymous alumni family donated $5 million to establish the Jamie and Ellen Pollard Endowed Director of Athletics.
“The establishment of the Endowed Director of Athletics position is the most thoughtful, kind and generous gesture anyone has ever done for me,” Pollard said. “To think we have had that type of impact on anyone in the Cyclone community is pretty overwhelming.”
Attendance figures during Pollard’s tenure reflected the growing excitement surrounding Iowa State sports.
Since the 2011-12 academic year, Iowa State has become the only school in the nation to average at least 50,000 fans for home football games over 13 straight seasons, 12,000 fans for men’s basketball across 15 consecutive years, and 9,000 fans for women’s basketball during 17 straight seasons, excluding the pandemic-affected 2020-21 campaign.
National recognition followed.
Pollard earned NACDA Football Subdivision Athletics Director of the Year honors in both 2019 and 2023. He also served on several influential national committees, including the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee from 2020 through 2024, while becoming the only individual to serve as president of NACDA, the I-A Athletics Directors Association and the College Athletics Business Managers Association.
His influence stretched well beyond Ames.
Earlier this year, Pollard was invited by the Trump administration to participate in a White House roundtable focused on the future of college athletics. Widely respected for his financial expertise as a certified public accountant, he has long been considered one of college sports’ leading administrators.
Among his most ambitious projects is CyTown, a planned 40-acre mixed-use entertainment district between Jack Trice Stadium and the Iowa State Center. Inspired by Green Bay’s Titletown and Kansas City’s Power & Light District, the development is expected to reshape the fan experience and create long-term economic benefits for Iowa State.
As Iowa State prepares to begin a national search for its next athletic director, Pollard says his connection to the university will never fade.
“It has been my privilege to engage with thousands of Cyclone fans over the years,” Pollard said. “There is nothing better than celebrating victories and championships with our fans. Although I’ll be leaving my office in the Jacobson Building, I will always be a loyal Cyclone for the rest of my life. Once a Cyclone, always a Cyclone.”
Pollard leaves behind his wife, Ellen, four children Thomas, Annie, Maggie and James and grandson Shepherd James, along with a legacy that forever changed the direction of Iowa State Athletics.
