DeKALB – As announced on Friday, Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Sean T. Frazier welcomed Dr. Randi Napientek and TJ Feuerbach as the newest members of his executive team.
After joining the Huskies academic staff in 2017, Napientek coordinated student success and retention programs. Following four years of service within the Office of Student Academic Success department, Napientek took on the role of assistant athletics director in 2021. Just one year after her initial promotion, Napientek was elevated to the position of associate athletic director in 2022.
Napientek’s promotion follows six and a half years of service within the Student-Athlete Academic Support Services (SAASS) department. Frazier internally promoted Napientek to senior associate athletic director and director of SAASS.
Napientek looks forward to expanding upon the existing groundwork laid within the SAASS department, as well as fostering stronger collaborations with her colleagues.
“I am excited for this opportunity to continue to work with our student-athletes,” Napientek said. “We have extraordinary success in the classroom under Sean Frazier and (associate vice provost for student success) Nicole Knutson’s leadership, and we want to continue that tradition. I am excited to work with the campus community, coaches and support staff to ensure that our student-athletes have a world-class experience during their time here at NIU.”
Feuerbach, the second newly appointed member of Frazier’s executive team, also earned an internal promotion. Feuerbach, who most recently served as senior associate athletic director for development and revenue generation, will take on a new role as senior associate athletic director/senior director of advancement.
Feuerbach received this promotion on the heels of a record-setting 2023 campaign. As a member of NIU’s development team, Feuerbach set an all-time high in revenue generation with a 20% increase in department revenue for 2023. Unrestricted annual fund dollars also saw a 31% increase from the year prior.
As senior associate athletic director and senior director of advancement, Feuerbach will persist in advancing capital projects and various other initiatives.
“We have had some tremendous success growing the Huskie Athletic Fund over the past six years, and I believe we are on the cusp of making significant strides on capital projects and other initiatives that I am particularly passionate about,” Feuerbach said. “I’m excited to be able to focus my attention on those projects and to continue to work with our wonderful supporters who are impacting the lives of NIU student-athletes and helping to shape the future of NIU Athletics for years to come.”
