Troy Dannen hired as next Director of Athletics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Starting Friday, Troy Dannen will take over the largest athletic department in the state of Nebraska.

Dannen will be the next Director of Athletics at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Since 2013, the Huskers have hired four athletic directors.

Dannen grew up in Marshalltown, Iowa. Most recently, he was AD at the University of Washington.

On Wednesday, Interim President of the University of Nebraska system Chris Kabourek made the announcement.

In a statement released by the university, Kabourek said, “Husker Nation, we’ve found a winner in Troy Dannen. I can’t wait to welcome him and his family to Nebraska.”

“From my first conversation with Troy Dannen, I knew he was a perfect fit for Nebraska. He is a fierce competitor, he holds himself and his programs to uncommonly high standards, and he cares personally about the success of student-athletes in sports, school and life,” Kabourek stated.

“Troy sees the vision and momentum we have here at Nebraska, from our bold investments in facilities to our record success in the classroom to our bold plan to elevate our national reputation and competitiveness, and he is excited to be a part of it,” Kabourek said. “I am thrilled that we’ve found someone who is 100% aligned with our high expectations and will be all-in on Nebraska.”

Dannen’s appointment to Huskers’ athletic director arrives one week after his predecessor, Trev Alberts, jumped to Texas A&M University.

On Oct. 9, 2023, Dannen started his work as athletic director at the University of Washington. He worked for UW in Seattle for less than six months.

This season, Washington claimed runner-up in the College Football Playoff. Dannen couldn’t re-sign head coach Kalen DeBoer, who left for college football giant Alabama.

From 2015-2023, Dannen served as AD for Tulane University. From 2008-2015, he held the same role at the University of Northern Iowa.

In a statement released Wednesday, Dannen said, “Joining the Nebraska family is truly an honor. My family and I are humbled by the opportunity to be part of such a proud athletics program, institution, community and state,” he said.

“Growing up in Iowa, I watched a lot of Nebraska football on Saturdays with my family. I’ve spent a lot of time in the state and I’ve found that we share a similar approach to life, work and sports: Work hard, stay humble, compete and expect to win,” Dannen said in a statement.

On Friday, Dannen will step into the AD role on a historic day in Husker basketball. The men’s and women’s teams will compete in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, with the men trying to win a tournament game for the first time ever.

The Iowa native is UNL’s third AD in the last four years. The date of Danne’s introductory press conference will be released early next week.