Jager returns to Morningside, oversees athletic advancement

When Tim Jager recently walked around the Morningside University campus, he admitted it felt like he was back home.

Jager returns to Morningside to assume a new role of Director of Athletic Advancement, where his main role will be to improve athletic facilities. He served as the athletic director for the Mustangs for over 17 years.

"It was a very easy transition back," said Jager during the Inside Mside podcast. "It's really good to be back and connect with some old friends and colleagues. I just love Morningside."

Some projects that Jager has on the top of his priority list include renovations inside Allee Gymnasium, building permanent locker rooms for the football team at Elwood Olsen Stadium, developing a bigger weight room, and an on-campus baseball stadium.

"I do think it's important, I think just for in the world of college athletics right now it is important for recruits to come in and see nice facilities," Jager said. "We want a great experience for fans and the community, and we want our student-athletes to have some of the top facilities in the GPAC and NAIA. Our programs are top-notch, and facilities should reflect that."

In terms of Allee Gym updates, Jager, Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Jim Sykes, and Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement JJ Marlow will team up to raise money for a new floor, bleachers, and digital scoreboards.

Concurrently, the No. 2 priority is building a baseball field. For the near future, the Mustangs will play at East High School on a new turf surface. While Jager said those discussions were had when he was AD, he and other administrators dream about baseball being played on-campus.

"Long term, we'd love to have a field," Jager said. "We have a very good short-term solution at East, but we'll definitely pursue having a field on our campus. Faculty and staff can come out, students can come to the games on nice spring afternoons, and it does really add a lot to the campus atmosphere."

Jager and the advancement team are eager to meet with alumni and fans to get conversations going and funds raised.

"We'd love to get alumni — and recent alumni last 10 to 20 years — involved in these projects," Jager said. "We're really hoping to get several hundred alumni involved in these projects and just get some excitement going and just what those projects are going to do for the student athlete experience is really a big part of what we're looking at."

For those who are interested in contributing, email jager@morningside.edu, click here, or call 712-274-5409.