Iowa State Announces Jared Benko as New Athletic Director

The Iowa State Cyclones have undergone some massive changes in the last year, starting with head football coach Matt Campbell leaving the program after 10 years to accept the job with the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Over the summer, another major change occurred. Athletic director Jamie Pollard announced his retirement. He was expected to stay on through the fall, but that timeline was accelerated, and his last day in office was near the end of September.

That sped-up timeline could have occurred because Iowa State had narrowed down its candidates, with the university officially naming his replacement. Jared Benko has been hired to take the place of Pollard as the athletic director for the Cyclones.

This will be the dawn of a new era, with the school’s athletics being led by a new person for the first time in over two decades. Pollard held the position for about 21 years before announcing his retirement in July.

Iowa state hires Jared Benko as new athletic director

Iowa State University president David Cook shakes hands with Cy the mascot and Christopher Stafford. — Iowa State University president David Cook shakes hands with Cy the mascot and Christopher Stafford during the CyTown groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 2, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“Athletics is vital to the strength of our university. Jared Benko brings the leadership experience and strategic vision to build on our success, support our student athletes as students first and ensure Iowa State is well positioned for the future of college athletics,” said Iowa State president David Cook in a statement.

Benko comes to Ames from the Auburn Tigers. He has been with the SEC school since November 2024, covering several areas of expertise while at Auburn. As shared by Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, part of the 247Sports Network, “Benko's role at Auburn includes expertise in Auburn's NIL and revenue sharing department, player management, contracts, human resources, information technology and equipment.”

Benko brings with him more than 20 years of experience in college athletics. Before he joined the Tigers, he was the athletic director for Georgia Southern University. He excelled in fundraising efforts, growing how much money the athletic department had to spend.

That time as head of the Georgia Southern athletic department, as well as the experience with Power Four schools, spending time at other SEC schools such as Georgia and Mississippi State, makes Benko an ideal hire for Iowa State.

Iowa State President David Cook's statement on his hiring of new AD Jared Benko:

🔗 https://t.co/r0X4ZIPRk9 pic.twitter.com/cNrTH91dnE
— Alec Busse (@alec_busse) October 16, 2026

He inherits a new football head coach in Jimmy Rogers, who is 3-3 thus far in Year 1. Men’s basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger just signed a massive 10-year extension after a fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament and his name being linked to bigger programs.

The women’s basketball team is going to need a new head coach with Bill Fennelly retiring after this season, following 30 years on the job. The women’s soccer team needs a new head coach, and the Cyclones are introducing a women’s wrestling program as well.

Along with those hirings, Benko and his staff will be tasked with growing the school’s athletic department financially so they can compete in the ever-changing landscape of college athletics.

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