Minnesota Duluth has announced the hiring of Forrest Karr as the new director of intercollegiate athletics.
Karr brings to UMD more than 20 years of experience working in collegiate athletics (17 as an athletic director). Since 2012, he has served as the director of athletics at Northern Michigan University, overseeing 18 intercollegiate programs, a national training site, and a comprehensive recreation program that services the community and student body.
In one of his last tasks before retirement, former UMD chancellor Lynn Black said, “We are excited to welcome Forrest to Bulldog Country to lead our athletic programs and outstanding student-athletes. His experiences and values align with the overall mission of UMD and we are confident he will continue the excellence of the Bulldogs in the classroom, in competition, and in the community. We look forward to having Forrest on campus to join the leadership team and help build the next generation of Bulldogs.”
“I am grateful to President Gabel, Chancellor McMillan and Chancellor Black, as well as Dr. Steve Castleberry, Karen Stromme and the entire search committee for this incredible opportunity to join Bulldog Country,” Karr added. “UMD is a highly respected university with national championship-level success. I look forward to creating value to help UMD coaches and staff pursue their goals and finding creative ways to provide a high-quality academic and athletic experience for student-athletes.”
University of Minnesota president Joan Gabel said, “We welcome Forrest and his family to the UMD leadership team. He brings with him proven success and strong leadership skills, which will contribute to the overall enhancement of the University. My sincere congratulations to Forrest and his family as they join the Bulldog family.” Because of UMD’s chancellor transition, President Joan Gabel, recently retired Chancellor Lynn Black, and new Interim Chancellor Dave McMillan were all involved in this important hire.”
Karr will oversee Minnesota Duluth’s athletic department and its 16 NCAA programs (14 at the NCAA Division II level and two at the NCAA Division I level) that have combined to win 10 team national championships, nine individual national titles and six men’s hockey Hobey Baker Memorial Award winners (the most in college hockey).
During his time at NMU, Karr started five NCAA Division II programs (women’s golf, men’s swimming and diving, women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, and women’s wrestling). In addition, NMU student-athletes earned 145 All-America honors, 127 Honorable Mention All-America awards, six CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, and five individual NCAA championships. Since 2021, four NMU teams (women’s volleyball, women’s swimming and diving, men’s skiing, and women’s skiing) have claimed conference championships, and four more teams (men’s hockey, women’s soccer, men’s basketball, and men’s swimming and diving) have finished as conference championship runner-up.
Karr has also hired many successful coaches at NMU, including Andy Keller (2022 CCSA men’s Nordic ski coach of the year), Mike Lozier (2021 GLIAC volleyball coach of the year), Heidi Voigt (2016 and 2018 GLIAC men’s swimming and diving coach of the year), Grant Potulny (2018 WCHA men’s hockey coach of the year), and Jenny Ryan (2018 GLIAC women’s outdoor track and field coach of the year).
The former Notre Dame men’s hockey standout has also overseen many significant facilities projects impacting all of NMU’s intercollegiate and national training site programs. In addition, Karr initiated two strategic plans and led the department through a rebranding process. He also initiated a licensing partnership, helped establish seven new endowed scholarships, and secured partnerships with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, USA Wrestling, and USA Weightlifting.
“I am so excited to welcome Forrest to the Duluth community and UMD,” said interim athletic director Karen Stromme. “He will build upon our local, regional and national success, all while developing our student-athletes on and off the field of play.”
Karr has also been highly involved in shaping student-athlete health, safety and wellness policy and best practice guidelines on a national level.
Recently, he served on the NCAA Board of Governors appointed Campus Sexual Violence Implementation Task Force and has been a member of the NCAA Drug Test Appeal Subcommittee since 2013. Karr chaired the association-wide NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports from 2015-17 and also served on the NCAA Division I Concussion Safety Protocol Committee for non-autonomy institutions from 2015-19. In addition, he chaired the NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee from 2008-10. Karr has also served in various conference leadership positions chairing the WCHA Management Council from 2015-16, the GLIAC Management Council from 2013-14, and the CCHA Management Council from 2008-09 and again from 2020-22.
Karr is a frequent speaker on sports-related legal topics. He has served as a moderator or panelist for the Sports Lawyers Association, NCAA Convention, State Bar of Michigan Bench Bar Conference, National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Senior Administrators Mentoring Institute, NCAA Regional Rules Seminar, National Sports Law Institute of Marquette University Law School, Faculty Athletics Representatives Association Annual Meeting, American Hockey Coaches Association Convention, University of Wisconsin Law School and many others.
“As the faculty athletic representative to athletics at UMD, I have the highest expectations for Forrest to serve our student-athletes, coaches, staff and the campus community,” said Dr. Steve Castleberry (professor of marketing and business ethics, Labovitz School of Business, chair – Athletic Director Search Advisory Committee). “I look forward to working with him to advance the success of Bulldog athletics in the classroom as well as in the area of competition.”
Previously, Karr served as director of athletics and campus recreation for the University of Alaska Fairbanks. During his tenure, Nanook student-athletes won three team NCAA championships and also three individual NCAA championships. In addition, the university set an NCAA attendance record while hosting the 2007 NCAA rifle championships and a student-athlete was selected as the male Division II winner of the 2008 NCAA Sportsmanship Award.
Karr is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School and a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin. He graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of business administration in finance and business economics from the Mendoza College of Business at Notre Dame along with a concentration in peace studies from the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. He is also a graduate of the Sports Management Institute’s executive education program.
