KEARNEY – Marc Bauer, one of four finalists for the University of Nebraska at Kearney athletic director position, will meet with the public and members of the UNK community on Thursday (Feb. 28).
A campus and media forum is scheduled for 3-4 p.m. in the Nebraskan Student Union Antelope Room, followed by a public forum from 6-7 p.m., also in the Antelope Room.
Bauer is currently interim athletic director at UNK, a position he’s held since April 2018. He oversees 14 sports with approximately 450 student-athletes and 40 coaches and staff members.
As interim athletic director, Bauer developed an internal structure to manage scholarship and operating budgets, launched the Loper AthLEADS program to promote student-athlete leadership in the community and implemented a performance-based coaching evaluation process.
A three-time Division II All-American at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and National Wrestling Coaches Association Division II Hall of Fame coach, Bauer led the UNK wrestling program from 2000 to 2016, winning three national championships and finishing as the national runner-up five times. The Lopers also won two national dual titles during his coaching tenure and 15 conference and regional championships.
Bauer, who was named NCAA Division II Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2008, directed efforts to generate more than $3 million through fundraising and donations for the UNK wrestling program while strengthening community relations.
The former Kearney Public Schools teacher served as an assistant professor in UNK’s Kinesiology and Sport Sciences Department from 2016 to 2018. He’s a member of the National Wrestling Coaches Association, National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and Nebraska State Educators Association.
Bauer holds a Bachelor of Science in elementary education with an early childhood endorsement from UNO; Bachelor of Arts, health and physical education K-12 teaching field endorsement, from UNK; Master of Arts in Education, physical education master teacher with a pedagogy emphasis, from UNK; and Master of Arts in Education sports administration specialization from UNK. He’s currently pursuing a doctorate in interdisciplinary leadership through Creighton University.
