Issue link: https://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/504636
26 Dave DiIanni we hired in our soccer program. We had one of our most successful soccer seasons in our history. And so our women's soccer program is on solid ground, and we're excited about that. Men's tennis…Steve Houghton had been here for many, many years, had created this great legacy, and Ross has come in as interim head coach and has created a situation where we have beaten some top- ranked teams. We're in the Top 70 in the country as far as the team goes. Swimming and diving…we're back in the Top 25. Track, Larry Wieczorek retired and we hired Joey Woody to take his place and we're in the Top 25 in track right now. So our goal is to compete for a championship in every sport, and right now we're in a position to have overall, collectively the most successful season we've had in our history. We're 43rd in the Director's Cup as we talk today. When we add men's and women's gymnastics they did great things this last season as well. ey scored several points. Men finished sixth in the country. Women were in the Top 35 in the country. When those are added, we'll be in or near the Top 30 heading into this spring season. We have a chance to finish one of the best seasons in our history in the Director's Cup, which is an overall measure of how our teams have done. So we're enjoying success, but we're never satisfied. We're always trying to get better. Right now teams across the board are having terrific success. HTM: On the subject of staff, new staff, staff changing, not only within the administration of the athletic department, not only within — around the university, but this summer the retirement of president Sally Mason and a new president will be on board soon. GARY BARTA: When Sally announced her retirement, she had been here eight years, and I think most people know nowadays in the world of major research institutions, that's a long tenure. She had done an amazing job of supporting athletics. She and her husband Ken were great fans. ey would show up at Olympic sports, men's and women's sports, certainly every football game. But in addition to that, behind the scenes, she had a great way of not wanting to run the department or any unit of campus, but expecting those of us who worked throughout campus to run our areas. So she would be an advocate. She would be a supporter, but she expected all of us in the athletic department to run the program. I couldn't have been more pleased with her leadership. Now, that said, there's a little bit of apprehension across campus, because whenever the leadership changes, you wonder what the future holds. I would argue this, though. When any of us come and go to this great university, it's so much bigger than any one person. I'm grateful for Sally's leadership, but I'm also confident we're going to find a great leader. ey're going to understand what the University of Iowa is all about. ey're going to understand what our hospital is all about, and certainly they're going to understand how important college athletics is at the University of Iowa. And what a great part it plays, not only on our campus, but across our state. Barta on the hiring of a new president at the UI… ere's a little bit of apprehension across campus, because whenever the leadership changes, you wonder what the future holds. I would argue this, though. When any of us come and go to this great university, it's so much bigger than any one person. I'm grateful for Sally's leadership, but I'm also confident we're going to find a great leader.