LEWISTON, ID – Lewis-Clark State College has announced that Jim Klemann, the current athletic director at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, has been selected as the school’s new director of athletics. He will officially join LC State on October 1.
The announcement follows a nationwide search that drew more than 90 applicants. The process included campus and community listening sessions, as well as finalist visits to Lewiston in late August. LC State President Cynthia Pemberton said Klemann stood out for his leadership, communication skills, and ability to build relationships on and off campus.
Klemann has served as athletic director at Rocky Mountain since 2021, overseeing 15 athletic programs, 430 student-athletes, and 35 coaches and staff. Before that, he spent 14 years at the University of Jamestown in North Dakota, holding roles ranging from assistant athletic director to assistant baseball coach. He also played baseball at Jamestown, where he was part of the team that advanced to the Avista NAIA World Series in 2008.
“My family and I are grateful for this opportunity to join Lewis-Clark State College and Warrior athletics,” Klemann said. “I look forward to engaging with the campus, the LC Valley, and the alumni and supporters that have made this institution incredibly special.”
At LC State, Klemann will oversee 14 intercollegiate NAIA athletic programs, many of which are regularly ranked among the nation’s top 25. The college also hosts the Avista NAIA World Series, one of the premier national championship events in the NAIA.
Pemberton said Klemann’s experience in the region’s small-college athletic landscape will serve him well as he transitions into the role. “Jim’s success as an athletic director in the northwest will help him hit the ground running,” she said.