The athletic director at the University of Nebraska at Kearney is stepping down after 11 years because of concerns about his health.

UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen praised Jon McBride’s accomplishments when announcing the chance on Monday.

McBride will shift into a new role to help with athletics projects, and a national search is underway for his replacement.

McBride was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2009. He says that his symptoms have been manageable with medicine, but doctors recommend reducing stress and regular exercise.

During McBride’s tenure, UNK teams have won 55 regular season and tournament championships in eight sports. And the university’s athletes routinely earned grade-point averages better than 3.0.