Gary Barta (born September 4, 1963) is the current athletic director at the University of Iowa. Early life and Education Barta was born on 4 September 1963, and grew up in the Minneapolis area. Barta earned his bachelor's degree from North Dakota State University (NDSU). While at NDSU, he was a member of the Bison football teams that won the NCAA Division II Football Championship in 1983, 1985, and 1986. Career Barta was the athletic director at the University of Wyoming from 2003 to 2006. In early 2005, Barta was a finalist for the athletic director position at Arizona State University. Prior to serving as the athletic director at Wyoming, Barta served as an administrator in the athletic departments at the University of Washington and University of Northern Iowa. Barta became the director of athletics at the University of Iowa on 1 August 2006. He has spearheaded numerous upgrades to existing athletic facilities and the construction of many new facilities, including the expansion of the administrative office complex at Carver–Hawkeye Arena, the expansion of the wrestling training facility, and the building of new practice gyms and weight training facilities at the Carver–Hawkeye Arena. Other upgrades include improvement of the sound system, scoreboard and video boards at Kinnick Stadium, construction of the Hoak Family Golf Complex, and building both the P. Sue Beckwith Boat House and the Campus Recreation and Aquatic Center in partnership with the university's department of recreational services. In the fall of 2014, the new Stew & LeNore Hansen Football Performance Center was completed, which includes the new Richard O. Jacobson Football Operations Center and a new 120-yard indoor practice field. Also in late 2014, a new artificial baseball playing surface was installed at Duane Banks Field. In 2016, new video scoreboards were installed at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Barta has hired numerous new head coaches during his tenure, including Mark Hankins and Tyler Stith (men's golf); Ross Wilson (men's tennis); Todd Lickliter and Fran McCaffery (men's basketball); Rick Heller (baseball); Joey Woody (track & field); Sharon Dingman and Bond Shymansky (women's volleyball); Steve Pitzker and Andrew Carter (women's crew); Dave DiIanni (women's soccer); Katie Dougherty and Sasha Schmid (women's tennis); Megan Menzel (women's golf); Lisa Cellucci (field hockey); and Marla Looper (softball). Iowa's NACDA Director's Cup Big Ten Rankings By Year under Barta: 2006-07: 11th(out of 11); 2007-08: 11th(out of 11); 2008-09: 10th(out of 11); 2009-10: 11th(out of