Current Board and Committee Assignments
- Methodist Health System Board of Directors
- National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Executive Committee
- Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Executive Committee
- College World Series of Omaha Board of Directors
Background
Adrian Dowell was appointed Vice Chancellor / Director of Athletics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha on November 15, 2021, by UNO Chancellor Dr. Joanne Li, with a clear objective: to elevate Omaha Athletics to sustained national relevance while strengthening its institutional and community connections.
Since his arrival, Omaha has emerged as one of the fastest-rising NCAA Division I-AAA athletics programs in the country, driven by competitive excellence, disciplined financial growth, strategic capital investment, and an integrated, holistic model of student-athlete development.
Dowell oversees a $28 million operation consisting of 16 NCAA Division I sport programs, more than 350 student-athletes, 130+ full-time staff members, and over 300 part-time employees. In this role, he also serves as chief executive of Baxter Arena and Maverick Park—new, premier multi-purpose venues that allow the department to welcome nearly 500,000+ visitors annually and serve as UNO’s front door.
Competitive Momentum on a National Stage
Under Dowell’s leadership, Omaha Athletics has achieved unprecedented Division I success:
- 9 NCAA Tournament appearances
- 12 conference championships
- 17 conference championship game appearances
- 6 seasons with national poll finishes
- Top 20 nationally in the 2024 LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup among Division I-AAA institutions
During his tenure, Dowell has hired head coaches for 10 sport programs, creating alignment, stability, and upward trajectory across the department. Despite unprecedented success since his appointment, Omaha has not lost a sitting head coach to another institution.
In 2024-25, Omaha Men’s Basketball captured the program’s first Summit League regular season and tournament championships and earned the school’s first NCAA March Madness appearance. The Mavericks’ run in 2024-25 drew a total audience of over 73.9 million and generated an estimated $100+ million in institutional value—demonstrating the rise of Omaha’s brand into national visibility.
Omaha Softball has become a powerhouse as one of the most consistent winners in the nation. Since 2023, the Mavericks have earned three consecutive conference championships, made three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, advanced to the 2024 NCAA Regional Final, and achieved national rankings during that run—cementing its place as one of the historic programs in the sport.
Omaha Hockey has also reached historic milestones during Dowell’s tenure. The Mavericks made the program’s fifth-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024, after advancing to the program’s first-ever Frozen Faceoff and Championship game while twice hosting the NCHC playoffs at Baxter Arena for the first time in program history (2023 and 2025). The hockey program consistently ranks in the top five nationally in attendance, reinforcing the Mavericks’ reputation as one of the premier programs and environments in college hockey.
National Revenue Leadership Among Division I-AAA
Dowell has successfully paired competitive ambition with measurable financial performance, transforming Omaha into a revenue leader within the Division I-AAA public landscape.
Since 2021, Omaha Athletics has achieved a 65%+ growth in self-generated revenue and #1 national rankings among Division I-AAA public institutions in each of the following categories: ticket sales, game revenues, philanthropic support, and corporate partnerships.
Under his leadership, the department has consistently delivered record-breaking results across every major revenue category, including fundraising production and donor count, ticket sales and attendance growth, corporate sponsorship revenue, event revenues, and unprecedented growth in licensing royalties and retail merchandise sales.
This diversified revenue model has positioned UNO as a leader amongst its peers nationally, yielding resources to position Maverick sport programs for sustainable success.
Positioned for the New Era of Division I
UNO has integrated an innovative strategy to proactively resource Omaha Athletics to thrive at the NCAA Division I level as the national landscape undergoes historic transformation.
Under his leadership, Omaha has built one of the most robust NIL ecosystems in the Division I-AAA landscape, including strategic partnerships with Opendorse, Omaha Bull Market, adidas, Learfield, and the University of Nebraska Foundation with the launch of the Competitive Excellence Fund for revenue sharing.
Strategic Capital Investment
Recognizing that facilities are critical for mid-majors to elevate competitive ceilings and the student-athlete experience, Dowell has successfully led over $75 million in privately funded investments into UNO’s athletics infrastructure including the Baxter Arena Extension Facility, upgrades at Caniglia Field, Sapp Fieldhouse, Baxter Arena and the recently announced
$55 million Omaha Athletics Training Facility and $12.5 million Baseball & Softball Clubhouse.
Additionally, as the chief executive, Dowell oversees the management of Baxter Arena ($88m) and Maverick Park ($25m).
Due to the transformative vision of the Omaha philanthropic community, these privately supported projects demonstrate the community’s confidence and institutional commitment to sustained national competitiveness at the NCAA Division I level.
Innovative Holistic Support
During Dowell’s tenure, Omaha Athletics has innovatively become a leader in the industry in holistic support for student-athletes. Maverick student-athletes have achieved:
- Six consecutive years with a 3.4+ department GPA
- 95% Graduation Success Rate
- 993+ Academic Progress Rate
His administration has built an integrated support ecosystem that includes embedded sport psychology, sports nutritionists, physical therapy units, a dedicated women’s nutrition training table, comprehensive medical partnership with OrthoNebraska, athletic training and sports science collaborations with UNO’s biomechanics department, and the development of the Mav360 micro-credential program aligned with evolving NCAA Division I educational programming standards.
The result is a student-athlete experience designed for competitive success, personal growth, and lifelong leadership.
Institutional & Regional Impact
Omaha Athletics has evolved into a competitive enterprise and a strategic asset to the university and region.
- $46 million direct economic impact (FY24)
- 6,500+ community service hours since Fall 2022
- 300+ annual events
- Top-10 national rankings in community engagement
Capitalizing on Omaha’s robust business and philanthropic communities, which include over 80,000 UNO alums, the administration has positioned Omaha Athletics as a catalyst for institutional visibility, enrollment support, workforce development, and community engagement.
Personal
A native of Salem, Virginia, Dowell earned his bachelor’s degree from Roanoke College and holds both an MBA and a Master of Sport Management from West Virginia University. A former men’s basketball captain, he and his wife Stephanie—a former Maverick soccer standout and UNO Hall of Famer—reside in Omaha with their three children.
