St. Olaf names Ryan Bowles as athletic director
St. Olaf President David R. Anderson ’74 has announced the appointment of Ryan Bowles as the college’s athletic director.
Bowles, who is currently the associate athletic director for administration at the University of Maryland, will join St. Olaf on September 1.
Bowles has an extensive background in college athletics, both as a student athlete and administrator.
In his current position at the University of Maryland, where he has been a member of the athletic department staff since 2003, he oversees 11 varsity sports and serves on the department’s leadership team. He is also the liaison to the Athletics Council, a group of faculty, staff, and students that advise the President’s Office on matters regarding intercollegiate athletics at Maryland.
Bowles also oversaw Maryland’s transition last year from the Atlantic Coast Conference to the Big Ten, and he currently serves on the Big Ten’s Sports Management Council.
In his prior roles at Maryland, Bowles directed the NCAA and conference championship events hosted by the university. He also played a leadership role in the development and rollout of a five-year strategic plan for athletics at Maryland.
Bowles began his intercollegiate athletics career as the Asa S. Bushnell Intern for Championships at the Eastern College Athletic Conference in Massachusetts. There he was also involved in event management and was the liaison for a number of championship committees.
He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from McDaniel College, where he was a four-time letterwinner for the men’s soccer team.
“St. Olaf is committed to achieving excellence in everything we do, including athletics,” Anderson says. “Ryan’s passion for Division III athletics, born of his experience as a student-athlete at a respected liberal arts college, combined with his demonstrated leadership in an excellent Division I program, equip him well to lead the athletics program at St. Olaf. We look forward to his arrival on campus.”
St. Olaf sponsors 27 varsity sports, more than any other school in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), and competes at the NCAA Division III level.
As athletic director, Bowles will be responsible for maintaining and enhancing the integrity and competitiveness of the intercollegiate athletics program at St. Olaf, including recruiting and retaining an exceptional coaching staff and promoting the success and physical well-being of the college’s student-athletes.
“St. Olaf has an outstanding tradition of academics and athletics, and the college’s values match my own,” Bowles says. “I look forward to serving the St. Olaf family as we continue the tradition of graduating student-athletes, developing leaders in life, and competing for MIAC and national championships.”