DECORAH, Iowa — Luther College President Paula J. Carlson has announced the appointment of Renae R. Hartl, as the college's new athletic director beginning July 1.

"Renae Hartl has a record of success as a head coach, administrator and instructor at Luther. She knows the college well, and she has a deep commitment to students, to the athletics program, and to Luther's mission. I look forward to her dedicated leadership and ongoing contributions to the college in her new position as athletic director," said President Carlson.

Hartl succeeds Joe Thompson, who served the college for 20 years as Luther's athletic director.

She has been the head softball coach since 2001. In addition to leading the athletics department, she will continue to serve as head softball coach.

For the past four years Hartl served as associate athletic director at Luther, and as such served as the senior women's administrator for Luther and the NCAA compliance director for the athletics department. In addition, she served as the Title IX coordinator, and as adviser to the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and Norse ESPY Awards.

As associate athletic director she coordinated NCAA eligibility and Iowa Conference eligibility of 500-plus student-athletes annually, and served on the home event management team.

Hartl also served as interim athletic director for five months in 2014, and coordinated athletics facilities site visits, organized the fall management operational calendar, and coordinated the day-to-day internal operations in the athletic department. She also served as chair of the baseball coach search committee.

In her role as head softball coach Hartl has seen much success over her 14-year career, amassing a 433-161 record, and reaching the IIAC post-season tournament every year since its inception. This season Hartl led the Norse to a fourth Iowa Conference Championship and was named Iowa Conference Coach of the Year for the third time. Her squad also statistically led Division III in on-base percentage and doubles in 2015.

Hartl's team has been ranked in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 poll in 85 of the past 88 weeks, dating back to 2009, and in 2012 held the no. 1 ranking in the same poll. The NFCA has also named Hartl's coaching crew the NFCA Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year four times in the past six years.

With appearances in eight of the last nine NCAA national tournaments, Hartl's squad has placed four times. Earning fifth place three times and seventh once.

In addition the Norse have been named NCAA Regional Champions and Iowa Conference Tournament Champions four of the past six seasons.

Hartl has recruited and coached hundreds of athletes, including four Iowa Conference MVPs, 16 NFCA/NCAA Division III All-Americans, one Honda Award Winner, five Capital One Academic All-Americans, one Capital One Academic Division III Softball Player of the year, three NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship recipients, two Iowa Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year recipients and three NCAA Woman of the Year finalists.

As athletic director Hartl will manage more than 40 staff, 19 varsity sports programs and activities that support approximately 500 student-athletes. She will administer the NCAA Division III athletics program, ensuring compliance with federal, Iowa and NCAA policies, and provide leadership, direction and oversight for all aspects of the Luther College athletics program. She will be responsible for hiring coaches and other staff, fiscal affairs, strategic planning, facilities and general operations.

Hartl has also served as an instructor in the physical education department, assistant volleyball coach and senior paper coordinator for the physical education, health and athletic training departments at Luther.

Prior to her time at Luther, Hartl worked as assistant volleyball and softball coach at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota.

Hartl received a bachelor's degree in psychology and fitness management from Wartburg College, and a master's degree in human performance from Minnesota State University at Mankato.