For the fourth time in her storied athletic administrative career, Dr. Linda Herman will bridge the gap between athletic directors at Illinois State after she was named the interim director of athletics Thursday by University President Dr. Al Bowman.
Dr. Hermans work in intercollegiate athletics is respected nationally, and she will be a source of stability and growth as we search for our next continuing athletic director, Bowman said.
Herman says she is not interested in the continuing position and will assist Bowman in the search process.
I have the utmost respect for President Bowman and when being asked by him to serve, it is difficult to say no, Herman said. For me, it is to serve first and then lead. During this interim period, I look at myself as an ambassador for the University and for the athletics department to carry out the vision of both academics and athletics at Illinois State University.
Herman, who will take the interim post June 14, had been a part of the Illinois State athletics administration for over 25 years before her retirement in 2002. During that time, she was a pioneer for women in intercollegiate athletics as a senior associate athletics director and a senior womens administrator on the Redbird staff. Herman played an integral part in Illinois States entire athletic success during her tenure, as the Redbirds claimed 114 team conference titles and 16 all-sports championships in the Missouri Valley Conference.
She was inducted into the American Volleyball Coaches Associations (AVCA) inaugural Hall of Fame induction class in 2003. In 1995, Herman received both the AVCA Founders Award and the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) award as the District V Administrator of the Year. A year later, she won the ATALANTA Award for Athletics Management magazine for her dedicated service and leadership in college athletics.
A native of Valparaiso, Ind., Herman earned a bachelors degree from Indiana State, plus a masters and doctorate from Illinois State.
