Leblanc named interim Husker AD

University of Nebraska Interim President Chris Kabourek announced today that he has appointed Dennis Leblanc, executive associate AD for academics, to serve as interim athletic director.

Leblanc has been with Husker Athletics for more than 40 years, having joined in 1983 as a member of the track and field staff. He has served in his current role since 2015. Under his leadership, Nebraska has achieved a record-high 95 percent Graduation Success Rate, ranking Nebraska second among 110 public FBS schools. Nebraska student-athletes' cumulative 3.370 GPA last spring was the highest ever recorded. Nearly 4,000 Husker student-athletes have earned their degrees during Leblanc's tenure.

"Dennis loves Nebraska, he cares deeply about the young women and men in our program, and he has a proven record of supporting their academic success," Kabourek said. "Dennis and I are completely aligned on our vision for Nebraska to compete at the highest levels on the field, on the court and in the classroom. He will provide exactly the steady hand and trusted voice that we need during this interim period. I am so grateful to Dennis and Coreen for answering this call to serve and I know Husker Athletics will be in exceptionally capable hands under his leadership."

Leblanc said: "I'm honored and grateful that President Kabourek has entrusted me with this role. He has an exciting vision for excellence at our University and I will do everything I can to help move that vision forward.

"Serving our student-athletes and all of Husker Nation is the privilege of a lifetime, one I will never take for granted. My pledge to Nebraskans is that I will work hard each and every day to help Husker Athletics be the best it can possibly be."

Kabourek said he is initiating a national search for a permanent AD. He said he has no predetermined timeline for selecting the right person to lead Husker Athletics forward.