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University of Northern Iowa head coach Mark Farley will be stepping down at the end of the season after 24 years at the helm.
Farley’s retirement will be officially announced at a press conference in Cedar Falls on Monday. He will continue leading the Panthers through the Nov. 23 season finale against Indiana State in the UNI-Dome.
With 182 wins over 24 seasons, Farley is the winningest football coach in UNI and the Missouri Valley Football Conference history.
Farley, a 2012 UNI Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, first donned the purple and gold when he joined the Panthers as a walk-on linebacker in 1982. He was the 1985 MVFC co-defensive player of the year and led UNI in tackles in his final three seasons.
Please join us in celebrating the Hall of Fame career of Mark Farley. Thank you Coach Farley for all you have done for our community and the University of Northern Iowa. Go Panthers!
📰 https://t.co/RruN1i2buA#EverLoyal #1UNI pic.twitter.com/1MwTRcBCbW
Farley started his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Darrell Mudra in 1987 and continued in the position under Earle Bruce in 1988. In 1998, Farley was promoted to linebackers coach under Terry Allen. He later followed Allen to the University of Kansas for four years before returning to UNI as head coach in 2001.
“It has been a great honor to be part of the Panther family for over 40 years,” Farley said. “For me, UNI football has always been about setting a standard that goes beyond the game. It has been about a legacy of resilience, pride, hard work and excellence. Watching our players grow into leaders and champions on and off the field and carry that standard with them beyond the football field has been the greatest reward of my career.”
“I’m grateful for every player, coach and supporter who has shared in this journey,” Farley continued. “Together, we have built a program that strengthens character and challenges players to go beyond what they thought possible. UNI football has been more than a team to me; it has been a family. Personally, our family has been blessed with the friendships of so many wonderful people in the community that we are forever thankful for.”
Megan Franklin, director of athletics at UNI, indicated that a national search will begin to find a new head coach, and no comments will be made until a successor has agreed to terms.
“We sincerely appreciate all of the contributions that coach Farley has made to our university and our community during his 24 seasons leading our football program,” Franklin said. “Even more importantly, Panthers everywhere recognize the positive impact coach Farley has had on UNI football. Coach Farley’s legacy is truly reflected in the achievements of the many young men he and his staffs have coached over the years.”
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