10/18/2026
BREAKING: Iowa State is hiring Jared Benko as the school’s 15th Director of Athletics, per ESPN's Pete Thamel.
Benko comes from Auburn where he spent the last two years as the school’s Executive Deputy Athletic Director. In that role, he oversaw business operations and the revenue sharing within the institution, among other things.
Prior to Auburn, Benko served as the AD at Georgia Southern for four years. Prior to that, Benko spent over a decade in the SEC at Georgia, Arkansas, Auburn and Mississippi State in various roles.
At Georgia Southern, Benko helped the athletic department set fundraising records in all four years during his tenure, totaling over $40 million in donations.
Benko will be officially introduced on Monday.
