Dan Wolfe is in his 14th season at Northern Illinois University in 2026 and has served as Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations since 2019. A member of the NIU football staff since 2013, Wolfe oversees the day-to-day administration and operations of the Huskie football program while playing a central role in student-athlete development and the overall student-athlete experience.
In his current role, Wolfe works closely with the head football coach and athletics administration to coordinate nearly every aspect of the program away from the field. His responsibilities include program administration, budget management, team travel, scheduling, recruiting operations, housing, meals and nutrition, summer camps, NFL relations, community engagement, and coordination with offices throughout NIU Athletics and the university.
Wolfe also leads and develops the football operations support staff and works across multiple areas of the department to support NIU’s coaches and student-athletes. He serves as the program’s primary liaison with NFL scouts and coordinates NIU’s annual Pro Day and other professional football opportunities.
Throughout his tenure at NIU, Wolfe’s role has increasingly focused on the development of student-athletes and helping them successfully navigate their experience from recruitment through graduation and life after football. His work includes leadership development, community engagement, career and professional development, alumni connections and individualized support as student-athletes navigate the academic, personal, and professional demands of college athletics.
Wolfe has worked directly with the Football Leadership Council on leadership development throughout his tenure and has facilitated hundreds of community service initiatives involving NIU football student-athletes. His student-athlete development work has also included connecting players with employment and internship opportunities, graduate education, alumni mentors, and professional resources while assisting student-athletes through the many transitions that occur during and after their collegiate careers.
Prior to his promotion to Assistant Athletic Director, Wolfe spent six seasons as NIU’s Director of Internal Football Operations. In that position, he coordinated summer camps and all video/media coordination, assisted with team travel and recruiting operations, and hired and supervised student employees supporting football operations, video, and coaching.
Before joining NIU, Wolfe spent three seasons at Bucknell University as Administrative Football Coordinator. At Bucknell, he coordinated recruiting visits, football camps, team travel and video operations, served as assistant to the head football coach and acted as a liaison between the football program and the university’s academic and administrative offices.
Wolfe previously spent a season at the University of Iowa as Assistant to the Director of Football Operations, coordinating summer camps, coaches' clinics and team functions. In 2009, he interned with the San Francisco 49ers. Wolfe began his career with the Hawkeyes in football operations in 2004, and served as head operations manager in 2007, leading Iowa’s 11 member student manager staff. Wolfe started his college football career in 2003 playing Strong Safety at Iowa Central Community College before transferring to the University of Iowa.Â
A Cedar Rapids, Iowa native, Wolfe earned his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Iowa in 2009. He has a son Liam, and a daughter Elsie.
