Paul Brechler
Encyclopedia
Paul W. Brechler was an athletic director
for the University of Iowa
for 13 years and the first commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference
.
in Des Moines, Iowa
. He played football and basketball at Drake. Brechler was a guard and end for the Bulldog football team and was the captain of Drake’s 1933 team. He was also a two-time all-conference football selection. Brechler graduated from Drake in 1934.
He then became a high school coach at Harlan High School and at a high school in Iowa City. Brechler earned his master’s degree at the University of Iowa
in 1941 and his doctorate from Iowa in 1943. After two years of naval service, Brechler took the position of business manager at the University of Iowa
in 1946. One year later, E.G. Schroeder resigned as Iowa’s athletic director, and Paul Brechler succeeded him on July 1, 1947. At the time, he was the youngest athletic director in the history of the Big Ten Conference
.
in football, who won two Rose Bowls
and three Big Ten
championships. He hired Bucky O'Connor
in basketball, who won two Big Ten championships and led Iowa to two Final Four
s. Brechler also hired Francis Cretzmeyer in track and cross country, who led Iowa to multiple Big Ten titles. He hired Dave McCuskey in wrestling, who led Iowa to its first conference championship in the sport, and Don Klotz in tennis, who coached Iowa to its only conference title in the sport in 1958.
Brechler was also responsible for the expansion of Iowa’s athletics facilities. He directed construction of the Athletics Office Building next to the Fieldhouse and Finkbine Golf Course. Brechler also expanded seating capacity at Iowa Stadium and constructed a new press box at the facility.
Near the end of his tenure as Iowa athletic director, Paul Brechler had a bitter public feud with head football coach Forest Evashevski
. In 1959, Evy called working conditions at the university “intolerable”. As a result, some of Evy’s supporters demanded Brechler’s resignation.
. When that league folded two years later, he was named the first commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference
in 1962. Brechler served as WAC commissioner for six years before taking the job as athletic director at the University of California
in 1968. He later became the commissioner of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
from 1976-1990.
in 1989. He was also selected to the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame
in 1990. When the University of Iowa renovated Kinnick Stadium
in 2006, they named the press box in Paul Brechler’s honor.
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
for the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
for 13 years and the first commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
.
Playing career
Paul Brechler graduated from Emmetsburg High School before attending Drake UniversityDrake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
. He played football and basketball at Drake. Brechler was a guard and end for the Bulldog football team and was the captain of Drake’s 1933 team. He was also a two-time all-conference football selection. Brechler graduated from Drake in 1934.
He then became a high school coach at Harlan High School and at a high school in Iowa City. Brechler earned his master’s degree at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in 1941 and his doctorate from Iowa in 1943. After two years of naval service, Brechler took the position of business manager at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in 1946. One year later, E.G. Schroeder resigned as Iowa’s athletic director, and Paul Brechler succeeded him on July 1, 1947. At the time, he was the youngest athletic director in the history of the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
.
Athletic director
During his tenure at Iowa, Paul Brechler hired several successful head coaches. Brechler hired Forest EvashevskiForest Evashevski
Forest "Evy" Evashevski was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1938 to 1940 and with the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks in 1942...
in football, who won two Rose Bowls
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
and three Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championships. He hired Bucky O'Connor
Bucky O'Connor
Frank "Bucky" O'Connor was a college men's basketball coach. He was the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team from 1949 to 1958. Born in Monroe, Iowa, O'Connor spent much of his early life playing golf, as his parents managed a country club...
in basketball, who won two Big Ten championships and led Iowa to two Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
s. Brechler also hired Francis Cretzmeyer in track and cross country, who led Iowa to multiple Big Ten titles. He hired Dave McCuskey in wrestling, who led Iowa to its first conference championship in the sport, and Don Klotz in tennis, who coached Iowa to its only conference title in the sport in 1958.
Brechler was also responsible for the expansion of Iowa’s athletics facilities. He directed construction of the Athletics Office Building next to the Fieldhouse and Finkbine Golf Course. Brechler also expanded seating capacity at Iowa Stadium and constructed a new press box at the facility.
Near the end of his tenure as Iowa athletic director, Paul Brechler had a bitter public feud with head football coach Forest Evashevski
Forest Evashevski
Forest "Evy" Evashevski was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1938 to 1940 and with the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks in 1942...
. In 1959, Evy called working conditions at the university “intolerable”. As a result, some of Evy’s supporters demanded Brechler’s resignation.
First WAC commissioner
In 1960, Brechler left Iowa to become commissioner of the Skyline ConferenceSkyline Conference
The Mountain States Conference, also known as the Skyline Conference, was a college athletic conference based in the Western United States. The league was established in 1938 when the seven charter members pulled out of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.From 1938 to 1946, the conference was...
. When that league folded two years later, he was named the first commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
in 1962. Brechler served as WAC commissioner for six years before taking the job as athletic director at the University of California
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1968. He later became the commissioner of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States, mostly in Colorado with some members in Nebraska and New Mexico...
from 1976-1990.
Honors
Paul Brechler was named to the Iowa Sports Hall of FameIowa Sports Hall of Fame
The Iowa Sports Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Des Moines Register, honors outstanding athletes and sports contributors. To be eligible, members must have either been born in Iowa or gained prominence while competing for a college or university in Iowa....
in 1989. He was also selected to the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame
University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame
The University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame is a sports history museum located at the Roy G. Karro Building in Iowa City, Iowa, U.S. The museum pays tribute to the most legendary and influential Iowa Hawkeye sports heroes. Opened in September 2002, The building is located at the northwest...
in 1990. When the University of Iowa renovated Kinnick Stadium
Kinnick Stadium
Kinnick Stadium, formerly known as Iowa Stadium, and known in the area simply as Kinnick, is a stadium located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the home stadium of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, in the sport of college football...
in 2006, they named the press box in Paul Brechler’s honor.