A nationally-recognized advocate for college football, Steve Pederson has spearheaded the efforts to help all Nebraska athletes obtain the highest levels of success in athletics, academics and life since being named his alma mater's 12th athletic director on Dec. 20, 2002.

The past academic year was likely one of the most rewarding for Pederson, as his belief of placing opportunity in the hands of the student-athlete led to exceptional performances in all three areas. No better examples can be found than Sarah Pavan (volleyball) and Dane Todd (football), who each carried a 4.0 grade-point average while competing at the highest level in their sport. After leading Nebraska to its third national title in history, Pavan earned the Honda Broderick Cup as the nation's top collegiate woman athlete, a first for a Nebraska student-athlete, as well as the Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year. Todd was a first-team all-conference fullback and two-time academic All-American before earning the prestigious Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship, the highest academic honor bestowed on athletes by the NCAA.

Pederson's leadership and guidance in the ever-changing world of college athletics has provided benefits for more than just Nebraskans.

On the national level, Pederson's vision to improve football across the college landscape has shown through during his time as chairman of the NCAA Football Issues Committee starting in 2006. He has been a vocal leader in the effort to give football players a fifth year of eligibility and has pursued changes that would allow for an early signing period in football. In May 2007, Pederson also served as the keynote speaker at the NCAA Expert Coaches Academy, which addresses the critical shortage of ethnic minorities in head coaching positions in the sport of college football, primarily at the Division I level.

During his tenure at Nebraska, Pederson has also assisted in shaping the Big 12 Conference's future image. He was a key figure in the renegotiation of the league's television package in 2007, which continues the Big 12's association with ABC/ESPN in football and provides broader exposure to men's basketball coverage while providing greater financial resources for all league schools.

Pederson oversees a fiscally-sound athletic department that operates on a budget of just over $70 million. With annual giving at an all-time high, it has given Pederson the chance to push Nebraska to the forefront of the recruiting scene with the addition of world-class facilities.

Pederson's ultimate vision for the Husker Nation Championship Drive came to completion in 2006 when the Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex was opened in August. Along with the Hawks Championship Indoor Center and new outdoor practice fields as well as the expansion of Memorial Stadium to a capacity of more than 80,000 for the first time in history, the $50 million expansion project provides an impressive support network for Husker athletes.

The Osborne Athletic Complex is the showcase piece of the project. The complex benefits all Nebraska student-athletes and includes the finest training, sports nutrition and athletic medicine facilities in the nation in the Charles and Romona Myers Performance Center. The new football offices overlook the modern weight facility situated across from the athletic medicine area with its high-tech rehabilitation services and a state-of-the-art hydro-therapy pool.

Since his arrival, Pederson has made a priority of improving Nebraska's facilities not only to assist coaches in recruiting but to ensure the Husker Nation fan-friendly environments at all Nebraska venues. Improved fan amenities at Memorial Stadium include increased numbers of concessions stands and restrooms, improved seating options for the disabled and a concourse-level connector that brings the North Stadium together with the East and West. Fans also enjoy one of the nation's largest big screens during college football's most grand entrance, the Tunnel Walk.

The new facilities benefit some of the top athletic squads in the country. During the 2006-07 seasons, 17 of Nebraska's 23 varsity sports competed in postseason competition while eight finished the year ranked in the national top 25.

The football program continued to make strides toward the top of the Big 12 in 2006 by winning the North Division and making its first appearance in the Big 12 Conference title game since 1999. The Huskers finished with nine wins while four of their losses came against top-10 opponents. NU concluded the season against No. 8 Auburn in the Cotton Bowl, NU's first New Year's Day bowl appearance in five seasons. After a record-setting season, Zac Taylor was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year while defensive end Adam Carriker, a first-round NFL selection, was the league's defensive lineman of the year.

Also leading the way was the Husker volleyball team. Making its second straight national title game appearance, the Huskers picked up the 23rd national title in athletic department history in front of a record crowd of more than 17,000 fans in Omaha. Pavan earned the top honors in the sport as she was named national player of the year on the court and academic All-American of the year in the classroom.

Pavan wasn't alone in the national spotlight as Amanda Burgoyne earned national player-of-the-year honors while helping the bowling team to a third-place finish at the national tournament. Bowling was one of five Nebraska squads to earn top-10 national team finishes in 2006-07 along with volleyball, rifle (fifth), women's gymnastics (sixth) and men's gymnastics (10th).

The wrestling team also placed 16th nationally behind the outstanding performance of Paul Donahoe, who became the ninth national champion in program history. Donahoe led 28 Nebraska student-athletes , including 19 underclassmen, who earned 37 All-America certificates last season.

Pederson has pushed the Huskers to uphold their unparalleled tradition and remain at the forefront in the classroom as well as on the field. Last year, nine Cornhuskers earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, raising Nebraska's NCAA-leading total to 248, 64 more than the closest school. Over two semesters last year, 525 student-athletes earned Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll accolades with a 3.0 or better grade-point average, while 131 Huskers claimed academic All-Big 12 honors and 95 earned their degree.

Pederson is an award-winning athletic director with experience at four prominent Division I schools. A tireless worker with a contagious winning attitude, Pederson has implemented his vision for the future of Nebraska, which includes three vital components to success: a staff that will outwork the competition; enhancing facilities in order to attract the nation’s best student-athletes; and a unified approach to enable student-athletes to succeed in all facets of life.

Nebraska's championship tradition has been built by outstanding student-athletes and coaches over the years, but Pederson believes the foundation of Nebraska's success is its fans – not only the 1.7 million people who call the state home, but also fans who support NU from around the nation. Pederson's driving force comes from the core values of the Husker Nation and the principles of champions: Tradition, Teamwork, Integrity.

From creating the nation's first comprehensive strength program to its nationally renowned academic support system, Nebraska has always been at the forefront in providing unmatched resources for its student-athletes. Pederson is continuing that tradition as he has shown the foresight and vision needed to ensure long-term success for athletic programs, both at Pittsburgh and Nebraska.

Pederson’s efforts have the interests of the student-athletes in mind. He has implemented support programs to aid student-athlete’s academic, athletic, personal and professional development. In order to assist student-athletes with their postgraduation pursuits, he worked with Assistant Athletic Director for Student Life Keith Zimmer to enhance Nebraska's nationally recognized Life Skills program. They created the Life Skills Award for the team that demonstrated the strongest commitment to all phases of the life skills program, including outreach, education and leadership.

According to Pederson, one crucial area in building a championship athletic department is to have coaches who not only possess strong leadership skills and the vision to run a program, but also the integrity to follow Big 12 and NCAA rules.

In January of 2004, Pederson hired Bill Callahan to lead the Husker football program back to elite status. Recognized nationally as one of the brightest minds in football, Callahan came from the NFL’s Oakland Raiders, where he led the franchise to an AFC title and a berth in Super Bowl XXXVII in his first season as head coach. Under Callahan, the Huskers took another step toward a Big 12 and national championship in 2006, winning the North title and earning a spot in a New Year's Day bowl.

Pederson made an inspired hire with the selection of Doc Sadler as men's basketball coach in August 2006. Known throughout the coaching ranks as a fierce competitor and outstanding recruiter, Sadler quickly rejuvenated the under-appreciated program and excited fans and alumni alike with his charm and quick wit.

A firm believer in the philosophy that hard work pays off, Pederson was given his first chance at leading a Division I program when he was hired as athletic director at the University of Pittsburgh in 1996. A young and relatively unknown commodity at the time, Pederson returned the Panthers to the national spotlight in just six years.

Pederson is credited with turning around the Pittsburgh athletic program. As a result of his hard work and effective leadership style, Pederson was named the recipient of the 2002 General Robert R. Neyland Athletic Director Award, annually presented by the All-American Football Foundation for outstanding administrative achievement.

Pederson helped construct several new facilities at Pittsburgh, including shaping the vision of the Petersen Events Center, a convocation center that provided Pittsburgh with one of the finest college basketball arenas in the country. Behind Pederson’s efforts, the Panther football team was blessed with the Duratz Athletic Complex and the UPMC Sports Performance Complex, a practice venue that opened in 2000. In 2001, the Panthers debuted Heinz Field, a new facility the football team shares with the Steelers.

During his tenure at Pittsburgh, Pederson hired six coaches who combined to earn Big East Coach-of-the-Year honors in football, men’s basketball, women's basketball, volleyball, baseball and track and field. Under Pederson's head coaching hires, the football team made three straight bowl appearances, including two victories, while the men’s basketball team went on to gain back-to-back Sweet 16 berths.

In his first stint at Nebraska, Pederson helped negotiate the original football contract with adidas in 1995 and oversaw the recent completion of a new contract that will supply all Husker teams with adidas apparel through 2010.

Pederson and his wife, Tami, both earned degrees from the University of Nebraska. Steve earned his bachelor’s degree from Nebraska in business administration in 1980 and began his career at Nebraska, first as a sports information assistant (1980-81) and then as football recruiting coordinator (1982 to 1986). He returned as the associate athletic director for football operations from 1994 to 1996.

As the Husker associate athletic director for football, Pederson oversaw the refurbishment of the football administrative offices, and the construction of a new halftime meeting room, postgame interview room and players and coaches locker rooms. He reorganized the program’s administrative wing and played a definitive role in Nebraska’s three national championships in the 1990s (1994, 1995 and 1997) under Head Coach Tom Osborne.

Pederson left the state in 1988 to serve as Ohio State’s recruiting coordinator until 1991, then moved on to the University of Tennessee to devote three years as the athletic administrator for football. In three seasons, the Volunteers’ recruiting classes were regarded among the nation’s top three nationally by several publications.

Pederson has been active on several committees. He is currently a member of the NCAA Football Issues Committee and Post-Season Bowl Licensing Sub-Committee, as well as the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame District Screening Committee. While at Pittsburgh, he served as the chairman of the Big East Conference Executive Committee.

Also active in the local community, Pederson serves on the board for the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra as well as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Lincoln.

A native of North Platte, Neb., Pederson has experience in the non-athletic business sector, spending one year as Ak-Sar-Ben’s Public Relations Director (1981-82), and two years in private business in Nebraska (1986 to 1988), before returning to college football in 1988 at Ohio State.

Pederson and his wife Tami Osborne Pederson have three children: Mark, Kari and Kristin.

Tami earned a bachelor’s of music education degree and a master’s of music degree from Nebraska. She is a violinist with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and teaches violin at Nebraska Wesleyan University. She has performed with professional orchestras and string quartets in Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee and Pennsylvania and has taught at Capital University and the University of Tennessee.

Tami leads SHARE (Spouses of Husker Athletics Reaching and Embracing), which has done tremendous charitable work within the state. It has involved 30 spouses of Husker athletic department coaches and staff and six local organizations.