Director of Athletics Nico Yantko Receives Five-Year Contract Extension Through 2030

Having continued to lead Murray State Athletics to unprecedented success behind a comprehensive shared vision for excellence, Director of Athletics Nico Yantko has received a five-year contract extension that will see the two-time alum lead the Racers through 2030.

Yantko, who was named the department's 10^th Director of Athletics on Sept. 1, 2022, has elevated the Racers' brand at a national level with his forward-thinking approach to the constantly-changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics, his focus on community engagement, and his unrivaled fundraising success.

"Under Nico's leadership, our athletic department has achieved an unprecedented amount of success, and we are incredibly grateful for his commitment to Murray State University," University President Dr. Ron Patterson said. "This much-deserved contract extension is a reflection of the hard work and dedication that Nico has displayed during his tenure leading Racer Athletics, and we look forward to investing in the future with him at the helm as part of his shared vision for excellence."

Yantko has implemented a variety of new strategic initiatives, including announcing "The Race Is On" strategic plan, a showcase of the immense amount of progress that has been completed in just over two years and the department's shared vision for excellence, which has been achieved by advancing the brand of Murray State University, building a stronger Murray State community and region, and positioning Racer sport programs to compete for and win championships, while serving each Racer student-athlete from recruitment through retirement.

"I want to thank Dr. Ron Patterson for trusting me to serve as a part of his new vision for our institution, and thank the Board of Regents and all of Racer Nation for believing in our vision for excellence as we come off the most prosperous year in Racer Athletics history," Yantko said. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to build on the momentum we have created through the alignment we have with Dr. Patterson and his administration, and we will work tirelessly to continue and advance the brand, build a stronger Murray State community and region, and compete for and win championships. Marnie, Chaney, Gino and I are elated to remain in Murray and we are excited for what is to come in the future."

This forward-thinking and visionary approach was on full display when the department launched the Vision For Excellence Fund, Murray State's pathway to implement revenue share and other roster management resources.

Yantko guided the department through a record-shattering fundraising year in 2024, raising more than $21.5 million in total donations and pledges behind a record eight, seven figure commitments. One noteworthy gift came from David & Ashley Dill, who committed a record-breaking, seven-figure gift that stands as the largest single gift in University history.

The fundraising success has allowed the Racers to significantly enhance the department's facility profile, highlighted by the announcement of the highly-anticipated, eight-figure renovation of the CFSB Center. One of the highlights of the project are the new premium offerings that will be built, including loge boxes and a first-of-its-kind bunker club.

Other projects that have been completed during Yantko's tenure include the weight room renovation in Roy Stewart Stadium, the renovation of the men's basketball locker room, the Baseball/Softball Performance Center, upgrades to football team spaces, the new LED lights in the CFSB Center, and more.

Murray State have been successful outside of sport through the Dennis Jackson Leadership Program, which Yantko implemented upon his arrival, with another strong year academically that saw the Racers extend their impressive GPA streak to 42 consecutive semesters with a 3.0 GPA or better and lock down a school record Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 94 percent.

The Racers recorded 1,455 hours of community service in 2024-25, a new departmental record, by serving 35 organizations throughout the city and region and raising more than $10,000 for local charities through their community efforts.

Additionally, Murray State Athletics has continued to put an emphasis on the importance of mental health and has seen 100 percent of its head coaches, senior leadership and sport administrators and athletic trainers become Mental Health First Aid certified through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

Over the last year, the Racers have experienced a record-breaking amount of athletic success with Yantko's help, highlighted by the baseball program's historic run to the 2025 College World Series after winning the Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season and Tournament titles, the Oxford Regional and the Durham Super Regional. The postseason run saw the Racers generate a 44.3 billion Total Media Reach and receive an estimated $406 million in Advertising Value Equivalency.

Women's basketball captured both the MVC Regular Season and Tournament conference titles and made the program's second NCAA Tournament berth in school history, rifle extended its dominance with a fifth-straight league crown and an NCAA appearance, tennis added a conference title, and Men's Golf and Women's Track & Field were represented on the national stage with individual competitors Trey Wall and Diamonasia Taylor, respectively.

The men's basketball program also began a new era after Yantko tabbed Ryan Miller, who most recently served as Associate Head Coach at Creighton, to be the Racers' 18^th head coach. Miller's impact has already been noticed, bringing in the top-ranked transfer recruiting class in The Valley ahead of his first season.

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Murray State University

Director of Athletics Nico Yantko Receives Five-Year Contract Extension Through 2030

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