Announcing a transition in NAU Athletics
I am writing to announce the retirement of our esteemed Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, Mike Marlow, effective February 28. After a distinguished 33-year career in collegiate athletics—including the past seven years leading NAU Athletics—Mike has decided to begin the next chapter of his life. He will stay in Flagstaff with his wife, Barbara.
Under Mike’s visionary leadership, NAU Athletics has reached unprecedented heights. His tenure is marked by exceptional athletic competitiveness, with our teams securing four NCAA Division I championships and 62 regular season and conference tournament titles. Equally notable are the transformative facility enhancements he spearheaded, investing more than $50 million in projects such as the state-of-the-art Student-Athlete High Performance Center and significant upgrades to the Walkup Skydome. Furthermore, Mike’s commitment to student-athlete success has set new academic standards, exemplified by all sports programs achieving a GPA of 3.0 or better in the 2023-24 academic year and a record-setting department APR. He has received numerous accolades for his work, including being named the 2021-22 FCS Athletic Director of the Year.
Mike’s service to NAU Athletics is exemplary, and he will be greatly missed. His dedication to our student athletes’ health, success, and competitiveness, as well as his cultivation of a talented Athletics staff, has created a foundation that positions NAU to excel into the future, especially in a complex and evolving national collegiate athletics landscape.
In order to facilitate a seamless transition, we will be naming Uri Farkas, who currently serves as Deputy Athletics Director, as Interim Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics. Uri’s experience with NAU will enable continued competitiveness and excellence for all of our teams and operations, while we develop a comprehensive transition plan.
Please join me in extending our heartfelt thanks and best wishes to Mike Marlow and his family for his years of dedicated service to NAU and our Flagstaff community.
Sincerely,
José Luis Cruz Rivera
President