By Jordan McAlpine, Reporter
The University of Nebraska at Omaha officially introduced Adrian Dowell as the school’s next athletic director Monday afternoon during a press conference inside the Thompson Alumni Center.
“Adrian Dowell is a Maverick,” said UNO Chancellor Joanne Li. “He is a dynamic individual who inspires a winning attitude in others and has proven to be a transformational presence in Division I athletics.”
Dowell, 35, joins the Maverick family after serving as the assistant vice president and associate athletic director at Creighton University- the position he currently holds. He first joined Creighton’s staff in 2014 as the Assistant Athletic Director and has been a big part of that department’s growth ever since.
Dowell enters his first athletic director gig with an exceptional track record for his development and networking skills at a Division I level, especially when it comes to relationship-building and fundraising. Dowell has helped multiple programs with their fundraising and revenues through ticketing and sales. It’s an integral part of providing student-athletes with the best experience possible.
“I think we have two missions in athletics,” Dowell said. “First, provide the best student-athlete experience possible, and we will. The second is if we’re effective at our jobs, we will bring other people to the table who may not have otherwise interacted with UNO and that will be our goal.”
The latter of that mission is a big part of what made Dowell attractive to the Nebraska Board of Regents and their search committee. Before his time at Creighton, Dowell had previously served as the director of development and led multiple fundraising campaigns at West Virginia. He was there while the school transitioned to the Big 12 Conference and spent five years at WVU before moving to Omaha in 2014.
Nebraska President Ted Carter confirmed during the press conference that the search for the Mavericks’ new athletic director was a national one. The school had interest from and considered multiple candidates, but Carter said they’re very excited to add Dowell to the fold.
“As good as things are right now, there’s so much more out in front of us,” Carter said. “I see the vision Dr. Li has put out in front of us, (Dowell) is going to continue with that vision, and that vision is going to be centered around the exact same thing we created here for our university system.”
A former athlete himself, Dowell was a captain on the men’s basketball team at Roanoke College, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Health & Human Performance and Sport Management. He also holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Sports Administration from West Virginia University.
As someone who was once on the court himself, Dowell knows there may be some uncertainty for those who are currently competing. He also had a message to those who support Omaha Athletics.
“Transition is tough,” Dowell said. “You’re anxious. What does this mean for you? What does this mean for the product you have put so much passion in the last few years? But I promise you it’s worth it. If you can join me in continuing to support the student-athlete experience like you have, there are much better days ahead of us and we’ll do it together.”
Monday’s press conference was full of thank you’s, ranging from his mom and dad (who Dowell joked had the idea of becoming an A.D. nearly 20 years ago) to his in-laws, the athletic department staff and his family. Dowell and his wife, Stephanie, who was inducted into the UNO Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010, have three kids.
However, there was one other thing that stood out from his introductory press conference. A vision and his excitement to build off the foundation that has been paved ahead of him.
“We’re here to celebrate our student-athletes,” Dowell said. “I was really a fan of Trev (Alberts) and I thought he did an excellent job of championing the student-athlete experience. I promise moving forward we will continue to champion their athletic and their academic experience, and their next steps in life.”
Dowell will officially start on Dec. 1, 2021. He’s looking forward to continuing and furthering his work in the Omaha community.
“Ultimately, if we are able to reach that level of success that I know we all hope for, it’s going to be because of this city and our ability to partner with it,” Dowell said.
