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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Northern Arizona is expected to remove the interim tag from Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Uri Farkas, sources tell HERO Sports. A formal vote of approval by the NAU Board of Trustees is pending, but those close to the process describe it as a formality. The agreement is believed to be a three-year deal.
Farkas has served as the interim leader of Lumberjack Athletics since February, following the retirement of longtime athletic director Mike Marlow. Farkas was Marlow’s longtime deputy, following him from Washington State and previously working with him at Oregon. Marlow’s contract, which ran through April 2028, carried a base salary of $242,000.
The promotion marks a full-circle moment for Farkas, who has guided NAU through a spring of transition and continued success in Olympic sports, including a historic sweep of Big Sky titles in cross-country as well as indoor and outdoor track and field. He has also overseen a head coaching transition in women’s basketball and continued expansion of NIL and fundraising efforts.
“I’m not a carbon copy of Mike,” Farkas said in an interview last month. “I’ve expanded our executive staff, opened communication lines across the department, and worked to build trust from day one. We have an outstanding foundation, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”
Farkas’ appointment comes at a time of rapid transformation across college athletics, including growing pressure on mid-major programs to adapt to new models in revenue generation, student-athlete support, and conference realignment. Still, NAU leadership is confident that Farkas is the right fit to lead the department into its next chapter.
Pending board approval, the Farkas era will officially begin on Tuesday, July 1.
