Forrest Karr, NMU’s Director of Athletics, Recreational Sports and U.S. Olympic Training Site, gave a comprehensive presentation to the NMU Board of Trustees Friday on the department’s finances, academic and athletic accomplishments, facility projects, gender equity and conference affiliations. 

Reports discussed included the department’s recently completed NCAA Division I Compliance Certification for Multidivisional Institutions, NCAA Institutional Self-Study Guide (ISSG) and NCAA Financial Report. Highlights included the university’s total number of student-athletes growing from 360 to 506 since 2014-15 and Northern’s finish in the 2015-16 Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings. 

Karr told the board that work is being done to secure private sector support for Vandament Arena or another potential venue to host men’s and women’s basketball. Private support is also being explored for women’s and men’s Nordic skiing team locker rooms and a ski tuning and wax room. Karr highlighted former U.S. Olympic Training Site student-athletes who participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics and Paralympics. He also mentioned the potential for the Central Cross Country Ski Association to start training elite Nordic skiing student athletes at NMU.