Bio

Daniella Irle was named Carl Sandburg College's athletic director in August 2022, joining Mary Robson (1985-86) as the only two women in the College's history to hold that position and the seventh AD overall.

Irle came to Sandburg after serving as director of athletics at Knox College the previous four years. While at Knox, Irle was instrumental in creating a social media strategy for the Prairie Fire, oversaw the development of a redesigned website and implemented plans to expand the institution's booster club. She also emphasized the importance of mental health for student-athletes as well as diversity, equity and inclusion within athletics by providing programming on such topics. She also served on the NCAA Football Regional Advisory Committee; the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrator Awards Committee; the Midwest Conference's Competition Committee, Athletics Council and Joint Council; the MWC's Transgender Policy Review Committee; and was chair of the MWC's COVID-19 Policy Action Group.

Prior to her time at Knox, Irle — a graduate of the NCAA Women Leaders in College Sports Executive Institute — spent 10 years at the University of North Dakota as the senior woman administrator, and she was also deputy director of athletics for her final five years there. Irle was a key figure in the program's transition to NCAA Division I and movement of its conference affiliations. While at UND, the Fighting Hawks won more than 20 regular season or conference titles.

Before going to North Dakota, Irle was the assistant athletic director for business and student service operations at Tulane University from 2006-08, which included support in reinstating sports that had been suspended due to Hurricane Katrina.

Irle spent 14 years as a highly successful Division I swimming and diving head coach before moving to her career as an administrator. Her teams at Tulane and Fresno State University racked up a 123-43 record in dual meets, helping her be named Western Athletic Conference Women's Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1995 as well as Conference USA Women's Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2006.

Irle graduated from Lamar University in 1987 with her bachelor's in physical education, and she earned a master's in public administration from the University of New Orleans in 2012. Irle and her spouse, Kristen, live in Galesburg with their three children.