Wren Baker
Wren Baker was named the University of North Texas Vice President and Director of Athletics on July 29, 2016. Baker is a noted fundraiser and has led record fundraising years at four different universities. During his tenure, UNT athletics has registered the four best fundraising years in its history. In 2017-18 UNT athletics set a school record for fundraising, nearly doubling the previous department record. The banner year culminated with the announcement of the two largest gifts ever received by UNT athletics.
Baker was hired as the Deputy Director of Athletics at Missouri in 2015 after serving in a similar role at Memphis from 2013-2015. At Missouri he was responsible for assisting the athletic director with all aspects of administration, including head coaching searches in football and baseball. He also served as the interim director of athletics at Missouri before accepting a leadership position at UNT.
From 2011 to 2013, Baker was athletic director at NCAA Division II power Northwest Missouri State, where he secured the largest gift in the athletic department’s history. Under Baker, Northwest Missouri saw its revenues increase by an incredible 60 percent.
From 2006 to 2011, Baker served as the first athletic director at Rogers State in Claremore, Okla., where he was also the first men’s basketball coach in school history. His team went 20-11 in its first season, after which Baker relinquished his coaching duties to concentrate on his administrative duties.
In 2005, he became principal and athletic director for Valliant Public Schools and, at age 26, was the youngest principal in Oklahoma history.
Originally from Valliant, Okla., Baker earned his bachelor’s degree in education from Southeastern Oklahoma State in 2001 and his master’s degree in education leadership from Oklahoma State in 2003. At Oklahoma State, Baker was a graduate assistant and then basketball operations assistant for the Cowboys’ men’s basketball program under legendary head coach Eddie Sutton. During Baker’s time with the OSU, the team posted a 102-30 record, reaching four NCAA tournaments, and advanced to the 2004 Final Four and the 2005 Sweet Sixteen.
Baker and his wife Heather, a Bokchito, OK native, have two daughters, Addisyn and Reagan.
