AMES - T.J. Otzelberger doesn’t have to guess what Jamie Pollard meant to Iowa State.
For years, long before Otzelberger became the Cyclones’ head coach, Pollard was the steady presence in the background - the athletic director Otzelberger leaned on through three separate stints in Ames while he worked his way through the coaching ranks. So when Pollard announced Friday that he is retiring after more than two decades running Iowa State’s athletic department, Otzelberger’s reaction came from a place of real familiarity.
"What he's accomplished here over time at Iowa State is remarkable," Otzelberger said. "You could put his body of work against anybody over that period of time, and I'd be confident in the excellent job that he's done and done for Iowa State."
Pollard said in a release that he and his wife, Ellen, are ready for the next stage of their lives and wanted to make the move while they are still healthy and young enough to enjoy retirement. He also said the timing should give Iowa State room to handle a smooth transition during a changing period for college athletics.
"My wife, Ellen, and I look forward to the next chapter in our life's journey," Pollard said in a release, "and it is important to us that we transition now, while we are both healthy and young, so we can fully enjoy our retirement years. I am grateful to President Cook for allowing me to share this news now, and hopefully, it will allow the university plenty of time to properly transition new leadership to our department during a transformational time in college athletics.
"When we moved to Ames in 2005, we did not anticipate the impact being a Cyclone would have on our family," he added. "The personal and professional opportunities our family has experienced during the past 21 years have been truly amazing."
Pollard’s run included 24 Big 12 team titles across eight sports, 11 bowl games, 12 NCAA Tournaments, 17 NCAA Women’s Tournaments and program-best marks in nine different sports. Iowa State also produced 24 national champions during his tenure.
As the Cyclones prepare for a new athletic director, Otzelberger said he trusts President David Cook to handle the hire the right way. He also said he wants to make sure he is aligned with whoever takes over next.
For Otzelberger, the relationship with Pollard was never just about basketball. It was about having a constant voice in the building, someone who understood the program and the university through every stage of his career in Ames. Now, with Pollard stepping away, Iowa State’s next AD will inherit a department that has spent the last 21 years under one of the most accomplished leaders in school history.
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