Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley says the school took a chance on him as a player, assistant coach and head coach. Farley announced he is retiring at the end of this season, his 24th as head coach.

It is a run that has included seven conference championships, 13 trips to the FCS playoffs and an appearance in the national title game in 2005. This season has been a disappointment. The Panthers take an 0-6 Missouri Valley record on the road to Youngstown State this weekend.

Farley wanted to make the announcement at the end of the season but with the signing date coming at at the beginning of December he felt making the announcement now was fair to the University as well as the players he was recruiting.

Farley says with N-I-L and the transfer portal coaching has changed and not for the better.

Farley says the job has become more taxing the past few years.

Farley when asked what he would tell the Mark Farley who took the job in 2004.

With 182 victories, Farley is UNI’s all-time leader in wins. He would like to get a couple of more before he’s done.

The Panthers close the season at home on November 23rd.

The Iowa Hawkeye women outscored Virginia Tech 15-2 to close the third quarter in a 71-52 win at the Ally Tipoff in Charlotte. Lucy Olsen led the way with 20 points, Addy O’Grady added 18 on nine-of-nine from the floor in posting her career high.

O’Grady had 14 of her points in the second half as the Hawkeyes pulled away.

Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley is retiring at the end of the season. Todd Kimm reports.

Press release from unipanthers.com:

CEDAR FALLS – University of Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley announced on Sunday his intention to retire at the conclusion of the 2024 season. Farley will continue to coach the Panthers for the remainder of the season with his final contest coming in the season finale vs. Indiana State on November 23 in the UNI-Dome.

The winningest football coach in UNI and Missouri Valley Football Conference history with 182 victories, Farley’s legacy includes seven MVFC Championships, two MVFC Coach of the Year awards and recognition as the 2007 FCS National Coach of the Year. He also guided the Panthers to an appearance in the 2005 FCS National Championship Game. He has compiled a 182-111 overall record in 24 seasons as UNI’s head coach, including a 116-65 mark in MVFC play. Farley’s record at UNI includes four wins over FBS programs, including three victories over Iowa State.

“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.”

UNI Director of Athletics Megan Franklin indicated that a national search will commence to fill the head coaching position for the Panthers. Neither Franklin nor the university will comment on the search process until a successor to Farley 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.

“Coach Farley has a heart for the university,” Franklin said of Farley, a 2012 UNI Athletics Hall of Fame inductee. “The success for Coach is not his own record but what the success of the teams has meant to the greater university and community pride. He will continue to be a valued member of the Panther family in his retirement years.”

“Mark Farley‘s tremendous legacy at UNI has been built on hard work and tenacity, characteristics that define him and his teams,” UNI President Mark Nook said. “When we first met, he told me how much the opportunities that he was given as a student, athlete and coach meant to him. He has worked throughout his career to enhance the reputation of UNI and Panther Athletics through his work and his players. We celebrate Mark’s contributions and wish him and his family the very best in his retirement.”

During Farley’s tenure, UNI players were named AP All-America selections 83 times, in addition to 10 Academic All-America honorees. He guided the Panthers to a spot in the final FCS Top 25 rankings on 16 different occasions, while leading UNI to 29 wins over FCS Top 10 opponents. In the process, Farley coached the Panthers to 17 FCS Playoff wins and sent 41 players to the National Football League.

The Waukon, Iowa native joined the Panthers as a walk-on linebacker in 1982 and would redshirt before lettering from 1983-86. He led the team in tackles in his final three seasons and was the 1985 MVFC Co-Defensive Player of the Year before embarking on his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Darrell Mudra in 1987, then working under Earle Bruce in that same capacity in 1988. He was promoted to linebackers coach under Terry Allen in 1989, beginning the program’s rise to national prominence. After spending four years with Allen at the University of Kansas, Farley returned to Cedar Falls as head coach in 2001.

UC-Irvine shot 55 percent and led nearly the entire the way and won at Northern Iowa 80-60. Panther coach Ben Jacobson.

The Panthers shot under 40 percent and were out-rebounded 39-27 in falling to 1-1.

Jacob Hutson led the Panthers with 13 points.

The eighth ranked Iowa State women jumped out to a 17-0 lead at the outset and beat Southern 84-56. A pair of sophomores led the way. Addy Brown had 21 points and Audi Crooks scored 17 points and added 11 rebounds.

Crooks says her and Brown compliment each other on offense.

Mitch Mascari had a game high 26 points, including eight three pointers as Drake beat Stephen F. Austin 66-51 in Des Moines. Mascari was eight of 13 from behind the arc.

The Bulldogs got the home crowd into the game in the second half with a 21-5 run to take command.

Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger wants to see progress from his fifth ranked Cyclones Monday night when they host Missouri-Kansas City. ISU opened last week with a win over Mississippi Valley State.

Otzelberger on some of the areas that need to get better.

Iowa State has dropped out of the AP football poll. The Cyclones were steamrolled in the opening half in a 45-36 loss to Kansas in Arrowhead Stadium. It was ISU’s second straight loss after a 7-0 start and the Cyclones will look to bounce back Saturday night at home against Cincinnati.

That’s Cyclone coach Matt Campbell. Iowa State’s usually reliable defense was torched by the Jayhawks, who rolled up 532 yards of offense to earn just their third win of the season and Campbell says the KU offense took advantage of ISU’s inexperience.

Class A

Tri-Center – 47 vs ACGC – 20
West Hancock – 44 vs Woodbury Central – 15
Saint Ansgar – 44 vs  Maquoketa Valley – 13
Madrid – 27 vs Lisbon – 14

Class 1A 

Hinton – 37 vs Underwood – 15
Grundy Center – 35 vs Sumner-Fredericksburg 6
Dike-New Hartford – 36 vs South Hardin – 19
Wilton – 21 vs Regina Catholic – 14

Class 2A

West Lyon – 49 vs Kuemper Catholic – 14
PCM – 41 vs Mid-Prairie – 0
Spirit Lake – 42 vs North Fayette Valley – 13
Van Meter – 31 vs  Anamosa – 0

Class 3A 

Sergeant Bluff-Luton – 53 vs Nevada – 21
Humboldt – 35 vs Solon – 3
Wahlert Catholic – 24 vs Independence – 7
Mount Vernon – 31 vs Algona – 28

Class 4A 

Lewis Central – 32 vs ADM – 25
North Polk – 35 vs Xavier – 14
North Scott – 28 vs Decorah – 24
Pella – 19 vs Gilbert – 14

Class 5A Quarterfinals

Iowa City Liberty – 21 vs Ankeny – 13
Southeast Polk – 42 vs Iowa City West – 15
Dowling Catholic – 14 vs Ankeny Centennial – 10
Valley – 38 vs Johnston – 35