Iradge Ahrabi-Fard

Over a career that spanned continents and classrooms, Iradge Ahrabi-Fard served as a professor, coach, athletic administrator, mentor and international sports leader. 

Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Ahrabi-Fard began his career as an elementary school teacher before traveling to the United States in 1960 on a track-and-field scholarship to what was then Iowa State Teachers College. 

As a student, he founded the men’s volleyball team, helped establish the soccer program, led the International Club and coached swimming and track. 

He joined the UNI faculty in 1972 and spent years teaching and coaching through Price Laboratory School before becoming a professor in the School of Health, Physical Education and Leisure Services. 

From 1977 to 1980, he returned to Iran to serve as first deputy of the nation’s Sport, Physical Education and Recreation Organization and vice president of the country’s sports administration. Earlier, he had coached Iran’s national men’s and women’s swimming teams and served as a physical education tutor to the Crown Prince and other members of the royal family.

Ahrabi-Fard returned to UNI and became head volleyball coach in 1981 as the university transitioned to Division I competition. Over the next two decades, he transformed the Panthers into a national contender, leading UNI to eight NCAA Tournament appearances while earning seven conference Coach of the Year honors along the way.

Building the volleyball program required persistence, and in the early years, fan support had to be earned. “I literally went around door to door to my friends and neighbors selling tickets for the game,” he recalled.  

“He was such a great technician of the game,” said current UNI head volleyball coach Bobbi Petersen, who credits his mentorship with shaping her own career. “His technical part of the game was huge in my development and the development of a lot of others through the years.”

Beyond UNI, Ahrabi-Fard served as a USA Volleyball consultant, advised the U.S. national team at the 1996 World University Games in Italy and coached internationally with the USA women’s volleyball team. 

His contributions earned him induction into the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2011, while his excellence in teaching was recognized with the College of Education Excellent Teaching Award and the Board of Regents Faculty Excellence Award. 

“Sports have been very fulfilling as a broad field for me in my quest for scientific discovery and knowledge,” he said. “They’ve also provided me opportunities for social competition, prestige, administration and all kinds of aspects of life.”