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January 28, 2003 Iradge Ahrabi-Fard Head volleyball coach, University of Northern Iowa Recognized as one of the most successful coaches in the Midwest, Dr. Iradge Ahrabi-Fard has compiled an outstanding 419-133 record in 16 seasons at Northern Iowa. The Panthers will be without the veteran coach for the 1997 season, however, as he takes a leave of absence to serve as a consultant for USA Volleyball and the development of its various teams. Assistant coach Bobbi Petersen will head the program for the season, but Ahrabi-Fard will resume his leadership role at the conclusion of the season. After taking the Panther program to the top of the Gateway Conference three times in the final six years of the league's existence, Ahrabi-Fard led the Panthers to Missouri Valley Conference titles in 1994 and '95. He collected career win #400 at the Sun Devil Challenge at Arizona State last Aug. 31 against Wright State. He coached his 500th match at the collegiate level Sept. 15, 1995 in a win over Drake. Under his guidance, the Panthers have reached new heights over the past dozen years, recording a 304-70 mark with six conference championships, five NCAA Championship Tournament berths and three National Invitation appearances, including a trip to the N.I.V.C. Final Four in 1993. Ahrabi-Fard's teams have chalked up at least 20 victories in 14 of his 16 seasons. He was voted Gateway Coach of the Year in 1985 and 1987, and earned recognition as Midwest Region Coach of the Year by his peers in 1985. In 1994 and '95, he was voted Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year and, in '95, led his team to its first national ranking, breaking into the top 25 late in the season and finishing 24th in the final poll after the Panthers bowed out of the NCAA Tournament to Stanford in the second round. A 1965 graduate of UNI, Ahrabi-Fard has long been involved in athletics on the international level. In his native Iran, he served as President of the Institution of Sports from 1967 thru 1969, head swimming coach for the men's and women's national teams from 1967 thru 1970, Executive Director of the Education Department of Sports Ministry in 1970, and Vice-Minister of Sports Ministry from 1977 thru 1978. He also served as special physical educator for the Crown Prince and Princess of Iran. As an athlete, Ahrabi-Fard competed on the Iranian national volleyball team internationally and in the Asian Games. He also was a high jumper on the national track and field team and competed his freshman year at UNI. He was a successful high school coach in several sports at Northern University High School in Cedar Falls prior to taking the UNI job, earning various district, regional and state coach of the year honors in volleyball, track and field, and swimming. Ahrabi-Fard has authored several books on volleyball coaching and is a highly sought-after speaker/clinician throughout the country. After earning his bachelor's degree in physical education, Ahrabi-Fard received his master's in physical education from UNI in 1966 and his doctorate in physical education and educational administration from the University of Minnesota in 1975. Sent by Mehran Azhar Who is your Iranian of the day? Email your image
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