Report: Iowa to hire Joe Parker as deputy athletic director and Chief Operating Officer

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Iowa has hired Joe Parker as the school’s next deputy athletic director and Chief Operating Officer. Parker is an experienced college administrator, being the athletic director at Colorado State for nearly a decade.

“Sources: Iowa is set hire veteran athletic director Joe Parker as the school’s new deputy athletic director and Chief Operating Officer,” Thamel said via X. “Parker spent nearly nine years as the athletic director at Colorado State.”

There is experience in the Big Ten from Parker, being Michigan‘s former senior associate athletic director. Parker also got his undergraduate degree at Michigan and was a three-time All-American swimmer for the Wolverines.

Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech — three Big 12 programs — have also had Parker on their administrative staff in years prior.

The role Parker is taking over was formerly occupied by Beth Goetz, who was hired in September 2022, and working under Gary Barta. However, Barta retired in August 2023 after 17 years with the Hawkeyes, and left the AD position open.

Goetz originally served as the interim athletic director before having the tag removed in early January. A few months later, a replacement deputy AD and Chief Operating Officer has been found as Parker will become familiar with another Big Ten program.

Iowa TE Johnny Pascuzzi withdraws from NCAA Transfer Portal

Iowa is getting one of their football players back after he initially entered the transfer portal during the spring window.

Tight end Johnny Pascuzzi, a class of 2021 recruit and a three-year player for the Hawkeyes, initially entered the portal on the final day of April, but a little over a week later, he’s now decided to withdraw and remain in Iowa City for 2024, On3 has learned.

Through those three seasons so far with Iowa, Pascuzzi has yet to make much of a dent on the field, hardly playing in either of his first two seasons before appearing in 11 games in 2023.

In those contests, he managed to haul in one reception for one yard, the only yard of his entire collegiate career. After withdrawing from the portal, you’d think he has some assurances that figure will rise at least a little bit in 2024.

As a recruit, Pascuzzi came out unrated by the On3 Industry Rankings in the 2021 cycle after playing high school ball at Rockhurst in Kansas City, Missouri.

On3’s Alex Weber contributed to this report