Bowling Green State University is thrilled to welcome Nina Baloun as the Director of Football Operations & Chief of Staff for the Falcons football program. In this pivotal role, Nina brings a wealth of expertise, nearly two decades of dedication to collegiate athletics, and a reputation for driving operational excellence. Her arrival marks an exciting new chapter for BGSU, blending seasoned leadership with a commitment to fostering a high‑performing, student‑athlete‑focused environment.
Baloun’s journey in football operations spans across a range of institutions and positions, reflecting a steady progression of responsibility, influence, and leadership. She began her career as a football recruiting assistant at her alma mater, the University of Toledo, immediately following her undergraduate studies. Over the course of five years, from 2008 to 2013, she cultivated invaluable experience in managing on‑campus recruiting logistics, nurturing community relations, and supporting student‑athlete engagement programs. It was here that she developed a hands‑on understanding of the dedicated coordination that underpins successful collegiate football programs.
Her early career also laid the academic foundation necessary for the multifaceted administrative roles that lay ahead. Completing a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2008, Baloun stayed on at Toledo to earn a master’s degree in criminal justice by 2009. Not content to stop there, she continued her educational journey, adding a second master’s in counseling in 2011 These strong academic credentials—particularly the blend of justice and counseling—have equipped her to be empathetic, analytical, and keenly aware of the compliance, academic, and well‑being needs of student‑athletes.
In 2013, Baloun transitioned to a role as assistant football recruiting coordinator and supervisor of the I‑Star recruiting program at the University of Illinois. Over the next four years, she assumed responsibility for the intricate mechanics of recruiting: organizing prospect visits, managing Pro Day logistics, coordinating NCAA‑compliant training for staff, and supervising recruiting software and budgetary processes. With oversight of student‑assistant ambassadors and football camps, Baloun honed her skills leading cross‑functional teams, juggling multiple complex tasks, and ensuring NCAA compliance frameworks were adhered to at every turn.
By 2017, she was recruited to the University of Houston, where she first took on the role of director of on‑campus recruiting. In that capacity, she coordinated official and unofficial visits, cementing her abilities to create welcoming, smooth—yet NCAA‑compliant—experiences for recruits. That same year, she progressed to director of football internal operations, a role in which she became the primary liaison between Houston’s football program and campus departments: academic advising, compliance officers, nutritional staff, and athletic scholarship administrators. Her duties included managing scholarships and stipends, coordinating team travel, supervising summer camps, working with the budget team, and managing campus‑wide events.
In January 2019, Baloun accepted the role of director of football operations at East Carolina University (ECU), remaining in that position through March 2021. At ECU she assumed full ownership of football operations—coordinating team travel, managing staff recruiting logistics, handling compliance issues, budgeting, and acting as the critical liaison with campus partners across academic, athletic, and administrative divisions. Her tenure there deepened her experience as an anchor for everyday football operations at the FBS level.
Following ECU, Baloun joined Indiana University Bloomington as Assistant Director of Football Operations, from March 2021 to June 2022, before moving on to Notre Dame in June 2022 in a similar capacity. Her journey through prominent programs in the Big Ten and ACC speaks to her reputation for operational excellence and elevated trust within collegiate athletics circles.
Now, at Bowling Green, Nina Baloun takes on an expanded role that includes Chief of Staff responsibilities—an evolution that aligns with her background. Not only will she oversee the vast and complex inner workings of the football program—travel, logistics, scholarship coordination, budgeting, NCAA compliance—but she will also oversee staff alignment across strategy, communication, and day‑to‑day administrative operations. Baloun’s role as Chief of Staff enhances BGSU’s ability to synchronize its coaching, academic, and athletic departments under one centralized leadership structure.
Baloun’s career path illustrates a remarkable continuity: steady growth from grassroots recruiting coordination through highly strategic sport operations, culminating today in a dual leadership role at BGSU. Over nearly two decades, she’s honed a range of competencies—from logistical prowess to budget management, compliance navigation, academic and nutritional coordination, staff training, campus engagement, and even high‑level strategic planning.
Her academic background—masters in criminal justice and counseling—adds layers of nuance to her professional profile. She brings a refined understanding of NCAA rules, institutional regulations, and student‑athlete welfare. Her counseling training equips her to lead with empathy, guide diverse teams, and prioritize the holistic success of students beyond the field.
Looking ahead, Baloun’s impact at BGSU promises to be significant:
Drawing from her prior liaison work between academic advisors, compliance officers, and nutrition teams, Baloun is well‑positioned to craft environments that support athletes on and off the field. Whether managing scholarship policy, monitoring athlete wellness, or creating mental health checkpoints, her team will reflect her commitment to whole‑person development.
With experience handling multi‑million‑dollar Texas‑sized budgets at Houston and ECU, Baloun brings financial acuity. At BGSU, she’ll refine travel planning, staff scheduling, recruiting camp logistics, and equipment management in ways that maximize value and maintain fiscal balance. Bypassing pitfalls in recruiting and NCAA compliance is a priority for athletic departments nationwide. Her prior work managing prospect visits and NCAA training programs gives her both proximity and credibility to uphold industry best practices—and safeguard program integrity at BGSU.
As Chief of Staff, Nina brings a leadership model that emphasizes communication flow—from head coach through assistants to staff and support personnel. Her oversight will help ensure staff cohesion, effective interdepartmental coordination, and operational consistency. Her background managing student‑assistant ambassadors and coordinating camps reflects a belief in mentoring the next generation of sport‑operations professionals. At BGSU, she will create more opportunities for interns and graduate assistants, fostering a pipeline of athletic administration talent.
Beyond operational capacity, Baloun also exemplifies advancement in sports leadership. In a landscape where women are underrepresented in collegiate athletics logistics and management roles, she stands as a beacon. At Notre Dame, she was one of the women driving football operations—an acknowledgment of the growing role women play within the sport. Her presence at BGSU adds vital momentum, signaling the program’s principled commitment to diversity, inclusion, and excellence.
This appointment aligns with coach George’s strategy to build a modern, collaborative football leadership team. In March 2025, BGSU announced the arrival of several key hires, including Alex Bayer, Joe Bowden, Perry Eliano, Kevin Kilmer, Andy Padron, Andrew Sowder, and others, all focused on strengthening performance and academic integration. As football operations lead and chief of staff, Baloun is poised to be central in unifying these new strategic hires and ensuring the team operates as a cohesive, mission‑driven unit.
In addition to supporting coaches and athletes, she will be the “face” of operational consistency behind the scenes. During football season—when logistics swell with travel, camps, compliance, and community engagement—Baloun will be orchestrating key elements daily to ensure every initiative succeeds and every athlete excels. In the off‑season, she’ll likely drive planning for spring training, recruiting logistics, compliance refreshers, academic reorients, and summer camps.
All told, Nina’s nearly 20‑year arc—Toledo, Illinois, Houston, ECU, Indiana, Notre Dame, and now BGSU—equips her with operational rigor and administrative stamina. She brings a mindset built on experience and adaptability, always staying current with NCAA rule changes, growing athletic administrations, digital recruiting platforms, budget pressures, and facility upgrades.
Here at BGSU, the Falcons are fortunate to have someone with her skill set—someone who combines NCAA compliance, financial accountability, staff alignment, student‑athlete welfare, and transformative leadership into a single role. Nina Baloun’s leadership as Director of Football Operations & Chief of Staff signals a promise: that BGSU football is staffed not only with coaches focused on Xs and Os, but also with trusted, operationally minded professionals who ensure excellence happens consistently and compliantly.
Beyond campus, Nina’s story is a testament to what female leadership in collegiate athletics can look like—strategic, inclusive, results‑oriented, and student‑centered. For young women watching and aspiring to public‑sector careers in sports, her journey serves as an inspiring model.
In summary—Bowling Green State University has made an outstanding hire. Nina Baloun brings nearly two decades of experience, a polished skill set in operations and compliance, and a track record across major universities. As she steps into her dual role, she will be essential in shaping the Falcons’ competitive identity, guiding operational frameworks, and supporting the next generation of student‑athletes. Under her leadership, the BGSU football program is poised not just for victories on the field, but for success in every aspect: academic achievement, compliance excellence, athlete well‑being, and community engagement.
