NACWAA

Gail Barksdales (2001 NACWAA/HERS graduate) has been named Associate Athletics Director for Operations and Senior Woman Administrator at Georgia State University. Previously, Barksdales was the Director of Sports Services for the Northeast Conference.

The Atlantic Sun Conference has promoted Sherri Booker from Assistant Associate Commissioner/SWA to Senior Associate Commissioner for Championships and Sports Administration.

Monica Capobianco (2008 NACWAA/HERS graduate) has been promoted to Assistant Director for Intramural and Club Sports at Boston College. Previously, Capobianco served as Assistant Manager, Club Sports for BC.

Anderson University has named Marcie Taylor (2008 NACWAA/HERS East graduate) Athletics Director at Anderson University. Previously, Taylor has served in the AU athletic department as Associate Athletic Director, Head Women’s Basketball Coach and Head Women’s Golf Coach.

Cindi Nagai (2000 NACWAA/HERS and 2007 LEI graduate) has been promoted Premium Seating Account Executive to Associate Athletic Director for Diversity and Community Relation at the University Denver.

Barbara Blosser (2004 Executive Institute graduate) will be retiring on August 1 after 30 years at William and Mary.

Erin O’Connell was named the Interim Athletic Director at Seattle Pacific University. O’Connell worked the last five years as an Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance/SWA at SPU.

Amanda Conklin (2007 NACWAA/HERS East graduate) was promoted from Assistant Commissioner to Associate Commissioner at the Great Lakes Valley Conference earlier this summer.

Jennifer Simon (2004 NACWAA/HERS East and 2007 LEI W graduate) has been named Director of Olympic Sports Operations position at University of California Berkeley. Previously, Simon served as Associate Director of PE & Athletics at Lewis and Clark College.

The University of Virginia has promoted Valerie Richardson from Assistant Athletics Director to Associate Athletics Director.

Dr. Lin Garner has been named Interim Athletics Director at Lipscomb University. Garner previously served as Assistant Athletic Director of Academic Services/SWA for Lipscomb.

Nora Lynn Finch (2003 Executive Institute graduate) has been named Associate Commissioner for Women’s Basketball Operations by the Atlantic Coast Conference. Previously, Finch served as Senior Associate Athletics Director/SWA at North Carolina State University.

The Missouri Valley Conference has named Kelli Briscoe Assistant Director of Communication. Previously Briscoe served as Marketing and Media Relations Intern at the Western Athletic Conference.

Traci Lian (2005 Women’s Coaches Academy East graduate) has been named Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach at Nazareth, NY. Previously, Lian was Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach at SUNY College of Brockport.

Stonehill College has named Paula Sullivan Vice President for Athletics. Previously, Sullivan has served Stonehill as Director of Athletics.

Rowan University Athletic Director Joy Solomen (1996 NACWAA/HERS graduate) has been named to the NCAA Division III Football Committee. Solomen will serve a four-year term starting in September. She is only the second woman appointed to the NCAA Division III Football Committee. The first was Debra Warren (2003-04) from Chowan College.

Paula Jackson (2005 East NACWAA/HERS graduate and 2007 Leadership Enhancement graduate) has taken the Athletic Director position at Lincoln University in Missouri. Previously, Jackson served as Interim Athletics Director and Director of Compliance at Savannah State University.

Peggy Davis (2000 NACWAA/HERS graduate), Athletic Director at Virginia State University, has been elected President of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Davis becomes the third female President in the 96-year history of the CIAA.

Kimerly Gall (2007 East NACWAA/HERS graduate) has accepted a position at Geneva College as the Athletic Director and Department Chair of Physical Education. Previously, Gall was an Assistant Athletic Director and Professor at Calvin College.

Tuti Scott, former CERO of the Women’s Sports Foundation, will be starting her own consulting business to assist non-profit groups via executive coaching, resource mobilization, and brand engagement towards effective social change work for women and girls.

Tes Sobomehim (2008 East NACWAA/HERS graduate) has been named the new Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Augusta State University. Previously, Sobomehim was the Head Coach at Kalamazoo College.

Lora Stelzer (2007 East NACWAA/HERS graduate) has been awarded the Division III Assistant Athletic Trainer of the Year at the NATA Convention. Currently, Stelzer is the Assistant Athletic Trainer at Westminster College.

Joan Cronan, Women’s Director of Athletics at the University of Tennessee and NACWAA’s 2007 President, has been selected to serve as President of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics for 2008-2009.

NACWAA members selected to the NACDA Executive Committee:
Sandy Barbour, Director of Athletics, University of California-Berkeley (2006 NACWAA AOY)
Bridget Belgiovine, Director of Athletics, Wellesley College (1999-2000 NACWAA President)
Julie Bright, Senior Associate Athletic Director-Administration, Iowa State University
Lori Ebihara, Assistant Commissioner, Big 12 Conference

Jennifer Brinegar (1998 NACWAA/HERS graduate) has been promoted to the Senior Assistant Athletic Director for Recruiting and Enrollment at Indiana University-Bloomington. Previously, Brinegar was the Assistant Athletics Director.

Martha Judge (1998 NACWAA/HERS graduate) has been named the Associate Athetlic Director for Student Development/SWA at Monmouth University. Previously, Judge was the Associate Athletic Director/SWA at Manchester College.

Sandra Taylor, the Associate Athletics Director/SWA at Manhattan College, will serve as Vice Chair of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference during the upcoming academic year.

Congratulations to the NACDA Astroturf Athletic Director of the Year Award Winners!!

Division I:
Peg Bradley-Doppes, Vice Chancellor of Athletics & Recreation and Ritchie Center Operations, University of Denver
Division II:
Theresa A. Check, Director of Athletics, Central State University
Joan McDermott, Director of Athletics, Metropolitan State College of Denver
Division III:
Lynda Calkins, Director of Athletics, Hollins University
NAIA:
Debby De Angelis, Director of Athletics, California State University-East Bay
JC/CC:
Diane Schumacher, Director of Athletics, Howard Community College

Bernadette McGlade, President of NACWAA and former Associate Commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference, has been named Commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Conference as of June 2. McGlade is the fifth full-time Commissioner in Conference history with over a combined 30 years experience as a student-athlete, coach and administrator. A former basketball player at North Carolina before going on to coach at Georgia Tech, she was the tournament director for the 1993 women's Final Four. She was a member of the women's tournament selection committee from 1995-2000 and joined the ACC in 1997. “It is an honor to be selected as the next commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Conference,” says McGlade.

Carla Williams, the Associate Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator at the University of Georgia, was recently named a committee member of the Southeastern Conference.

Missy Conboy, has been named Interim Athletic Director at the University of Notre Dame. Previously, Conboy was the Deputy Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator.

Annette Lynch, NACWAA Director of Education & Professional Development, has accepted a new position as Senior Manager for Sports Parternships with Special Olympics North America. She will oversee coaching education for the Region and TEAM USA coaches' preparation for National and World Games. In addition, she will assist with Unified Sports and provide World Games support for the region. Lynch has served NACWAA for four years and will miss the special interaction with the NACWAA Board of Directors, the Committees, the staff and the NACWAA membership at large for which she is indebted.

Ayana N. Richardson, NACWAA Administrative Intern, has accepted the position of Senior Development Assistant at her alma mater, the University of Michigan, for the Division of Kinesiology, Development Department. Her duties will be effective June 23rd.

Karin Harvey was hired as full-time Head Women’s Basketball Coach after serving as Interim Head Coach for Montclair State University since 2007.

Daedra Charles-Farlow has recently accepted a position at her alma mater, the University of Tennessee. Previously, Charles-Farlow was the Women’s Assistant Basketball Coach at Auburn University.

Bentley College has named Jessica King (2005 NACWAA/HERS East graduate), the Head Field Hockey Coach, a position she previously held at Lasell College. King, a 1997 graduate of Bentley and a four-year letter-winner at midfielder for the Falcons, established the program at Lasell nine years ago after spending two years as an assistant at her alma mater. The 2006 co-coach of the year in the North Atlantic Conference, King also served as Assistant Athletics Director and Sports Information Director at Lasell.

Kathy Turpin (NACWAA/HERS 2001 graduate) has been named Director of College and University Drug-Testing Operations for The National Center for Drug Free Sport, Inc. Turpin joined Drug Free Sport in December 2007 from its sister company, Sports Association Management, Inc. (SAMI), where she served as a consultant to several collegiate athletic organizations.

Iowa State has promoted Mary Pink to Associate Athletics Director. Pink has served as Assistant Athletics Director for the Cyclones for the past three years.

Brandi Stuart (NACWAA/HERS East 2006 graduate) will return to her alma mater of Florida State University to serve as Assistant Athletic Director for Student Services. Most recently, Stuart has served as Director of Life Skills and Community Outreach for The University of Alabama.

Christine Grant (NACWAA Administrator of the Year recipient in 1993 and Lifetime Achievement recipient in 2001) will be inducted into the NACDA Hall of Fame at NACDA's 43rd Annual Convention in Dallas on Tuesday, June 10 during the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon.

Jacklyn Driscoll and Erica Wilson both have been hired full-time by NACWAA after serving as Administrative Interns since July.

Jacklyn Driscoll will take on the position of Director of Marketing, Communications and Web Technology for NACWAA. Jackie’s responsibilities will include website maintenance, design and layout of all publications, association development, promotion of events, Awesome Auction, press releases and media relations.

Jackie came to NACWAA while finishing up her Master’s degree in Sport Administration from Central Michigan University. At CMU Jackie worked as a graduate student worker in the Sports Information office as the primary field hockey contact. Prior to attending CMU, Jackie was an assistant coach of field hockey at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Jackie also took on the responsibilities as interim sports information director, including writing press releases, maintaining the website, inputting for stat crew, photo work, and all media relations.

A Waltham, Massachusetts native, Jackie obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, in 2005. While at UML, Jackie was a four-year starter, three-year All-Conference-Northeast-10 and a two-time All-American on the field hockey team and helped her team to host two NCAA Division II Final Fours. She was the first UML field hockey player to be named Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year and also received the coveted Lester H. Cushing award for Outstanding Female Athlete at UML. Jackie also was a three-year member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, including a year as Chair-Elect and then Chair.

Erica Wilson will take on the role as Director of Membership and Convention Services for NACWAA. Erica’s responsibilities will include membership recruitment, retention, and sponsorship, exhibitors, convention registration and on-site details, and awards.

Erica completed her MBA, with a sports management concentration from East Carolina University, during her internship with NACWAA. At East Carolina, Erica taught undergraduate exercise sport classes, coached for the East Carolina Junior Volleyball Club, and gave volleyball lessons on the side. While teaching, Erica was responsible for all lesson plans, instruction, lab lectures, assignments, and grading. She also traveled on the weekends with her Junior Olympic volleyball team to coach them at tournaments and run their practices during the week.

A Toledo, Ohio native, Erica graduated cum laude from ECU with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration in 2006. She received a full scholarship to ECU for volleyball where she was a co-captain and a four-year starter. During her career she earned Third Team All Conference-USA honors while also holding the record for the third best single season history hitting percentage. She was also an active member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council. During her junior year, Erica was also chosen to be on the search committee for a new head women’s volleyball coach as a liaison between the athletic administration and the volleyball team.

Kelly Anderson Diercks (2007 NACWAA/HERS East graduate) was named Assistant Director of Athletics at Augsburg College effective July 1. Diercks previously held the Assistant Director position at Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

University of Washington promoted Jennifer Cohen to Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Development. Cohen has serving as the school’s Associate Athletic Director/Major Gifts.

Emily Haynam was hired as Assistant Director of Athletics at Youngstown State. Previously, Haynam was the Assistant Athletic Director/Compliance Officer at Saint Peter’s College

Ingrid Wicker-McCree (2006 NACWAA/HERS East graduate) was appointed Director of Athletics on April 23, 2008 by North Carolina Central University. Wicker-McCree held the interim position for the past five months, replacing William "Bill" Hayes who announced his departure in early December.

Lisa Donaldson has been appointed Compliance Coordinator at Ball State University. Previously, Donaldson was the Director of Compliance at Coastal Carolina University

Heather Mathis was recently named to the position of Director of the Falcon Club at Pfeiffer University. Mathis previously was the Governance Intern for the NCAA.

Dr. G. Jean Cerra, Pioneer of NACWAA, as Dean of the School of Human Performance & Leisure Sciences at Barry University will retire effective May 9, 2008. Dr. Cerra has served as Dean of the school since 1991. Under her leadership the school increased its enrollment from 100 to over 300 undergraduate students last year. She oversaw the development of graduate programs resulting in the current graduate enrollment of 110.

In addition to the development of new programs, Dr. Cerra forged a unique relationship between athletics and the School of Human Performance & Leisure Sciences. Her focus on the student in student-athlete is demonstrated by the fact that 63% of Barry student-athletes had GPAs of 3.00 or better last year. Dr. Cerra has not allowed athletics to be neglected. Barry teams have won six national championships during her tenure as dean. Her method of partnering academics with athletics has become an exemplar for other colleges and universities nationally.

Dawn Mamula (NACWAA/HERS 2002 graduate) has been named Director of Athletics at Capital University. Previously, Mamula served as Assistant Athletics Director/SWA at the University of Dayton.

Brevard College has announced the hiring of Kim Pate as Director of Athletics. Pate has served as Interim Director of Athletics since October and prior to that served as Director of Compliance/SWA for the Tornadoes.

In late February, Julie Hermann, Senior Associate Athletic Director/SWA and NACWAA Board Member, was honored by the Center for Women and Families during its 21st Anniversary Celebration of Service. The contributions of the Women of Distinction work in unison to improve opportunity, education and quality of life for women and children in their community. More than 100 have been named Women of Distinction since the inaugural celebration in 1988.

About The Center for Women and Families
The Center for Women and Families engages individuals and community in the elimination of domestic violence, sexual violence and economic hardship through service, education and advocacy. Originally a part of the YWCA, The Center has been serving the Kentuckiana community since 1912. Today, it is a private nonprofit agency operating eight regional locations, three of which provide emergency shelter, transitional housing and/or long-term housing options.

Dr. Bonnie Tiell (NACWAA/HERS 1999 graduate), NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative from Tiffin University, received the Great Lakes Region 4 Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Teaching Excellence Award. Tiell becomes one of eight candidates eligible for the International Teaching Excellence Award to be announced at the Salute to Regions Luncheon in New Orleans, LA on June 22. The five criteria for the award include classroom teaching & learning; professional development; institutional versatility; curriculum development; and community commitment. Dr. Tiell serves as the Chair for the Management and Marketing Department at Tiffin University with significant responsibilities in the MBA Leadership a nd MBA Sports Management on-line programs. Tiell is Co-chair of the Women's Leadership Symposium [WLS] in Intercollegiate Athletics.

Metropolitan State College of Denver, Athletic Director Joan McDermott (NACWAA/HERS 1999 graduate), received the Division II Community Engagement Award for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Metro State received the honor for its "Building Bridges to the Community" program. In the fall of 2007, the Metropolitan State College of Denver Softball Team "adopted" the Denver West High School Girls' Softball Team. This partnering between the Metro Softball Team and the West High School Team is an ongoing relationship meant to build bridges between the college and Denver Public Schools.
From CBS College Sports http://www.cstv.com/sports/wsoftbl/stories/042208aab.html

After 14 years of service as the Director of Athletics at Drew University, Dr. Connee Zotos (a 2004 Executive Institute graduate, NACWAA Administrator of the Year recipient in 2004 and former NACWAA Board member) has announced her retirement effective August 4, 2008. After leaving Drew, Dr. Zotos will continue to work in education as a faculty member at New York University's Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management.

Joyce Bell has been named Assistant Commissioner for Compliance Services by the Northeast Conference. Bell recently served as NCAA Membership Services Intern for the 2007-08 academic year.

University of Missouri-Kansas City has named Janet Justus Senior Associate Athletic Director for Administration and Compliance. Justus has been Interim Assistant Athletic Director of Internal Operations for the Kangaroos since August.

University of Washington Senior Associate Athletic Director for Sports Programs, Marie Tuite, was named the Women's Gymnastics West Regional Administrator of the Year for her efforts with the Huskies during the 2008 season.

Maryland-Eastern Shore captured the 2008 NCAA Women’s Bowling National Championship at Thunder Alley in Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday. The win marked Maryland-Eastern Shore’s first women’s bowling national championship and first NCAA national title in any sport in the school’s history. The victory also made Hawks’ head coach Sharon Brummell the first woman and first African-American to lead a team to the title since NCAA established the championship in 2004.

Donna Lopiano (Lifetime Achiever in 2002, Honor Award recipient in 1998, former CEO of Women's Sports Foundation and former Director of Athletics at the University of Texas) is not only writing a sports management textbook, but she has also started her own sports management consulting group, Sports Management Resources (SMR), and is providing a free monthly management newsletter.

SMR consulting group also includes Christine Grant (NACWAA Lifetime achiever in 2001, NACWAA Administrator of the Year 1993 and former Director of Women's Athletics at the University of Iowa ), Bob Frederick (NACWAA/HERS faculty member, former Athletics Director and current faculty member at the University of Kansas) and Connee Zotos (a 2004 Executive Institute graduate, NACWAA Administrator of the Year recipient in 2004, current Director of Athletics at Drew University and former NACWAA Board member).

Heather Benning (NACWAA/HERS East 2003 graduate) has been promoted to Assistant Athletic Director at Grinnell College. Benning will continue her duties as Head Women’s Soccer Coach, Senior Woman Administrator and Assistant Professor of Physical Education. She is also the chair of the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Committee.

Lauren Anderson (Executives Institute 2006 graduate), Senior Associate Director of Athletics/SWA at the University of Rhode Island, has announced her decision to retire. Anderson will officially step down on June 21, 2008, ending her 31-year tenure at the University and 41-year career in athletics.

Director of Athletics Mary McElroy has announced promotions for Monique Holland and Allison George at Georgia State University. Monique Holland (NACWAA/HERS 2005 East graduate) has become Associate Director of Athletics for Operations and the SWA. Allison George has added responsibilities of marketing to become Associate Director of Athletics for Communications & Marketing. In addition, Tiffany Lofton has joined the staff as Associate Director of Athletics for Development. Previously, Tiffany was Director of Major Gifts at San Jose State University.

The Women's Sports Foundation proudly welcomes Karen Durkin as its new Chief Executive Officer. Most recently the Executive Vice President of Communications and Brand Strategy at the National Hockey League, Durkin previously spent 10 years at the Ladies Professional Golf Association. In announcing her appointment, Billie Jean King noted, “Karen’s career is an affirmation of what women can do for and through sports. We’re delighted to welcome her.”

Patricia Hughes has been promoted to Assistant Athletic Director at the University of Montevallo. Hughes will continue her duties as Head Women’s Soccer Coach and Senior Woman Administrator.

Tracy Roller has resigned as Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Ball State University on April 1, 2008 after seven years at the helm of the program. Roller accumulated a career record of 118-14 in her tenor at BSU.

In Memory: A NACWAA Tribute

Jeanne L. Rowlands, a pioneer in women’s athletics, passed away in Naples, FL on April 2, 2008. Jeanne Rowlands retired from Northeastern University in 1991 after twenty five years as a Professor of Physical Education, Basketball Coach and Director of Women’s Athletics. She was revered as an advocate for women’s issues in collegiate sports, both before, during and after the passage of Title IX helping to raise the collective conscience of university administrators and government officials, nationwide.

Basketball was one of her many passions. She served as the Head Coach of Women’s Basketball at NU from 1966 to 1978. She served as manager and Chief of Mission for many of our Olympic and pre-Olympic teams from 1973-1978.

The National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators honored her with the Lifetime Achievement and Administrator of the Year awards. The ECAC bestowed honors with the Katherine Ley Award and James Lynah Distinguished Service Award. She was recognized by Northeastern University when she received the prestigious Founders Day Award. Jeanne also served as a Co-Director of the NACWAA/HERS Institute for Administrative Advancement.

A celebration of the life of Jeanne L. Rowlands will be held at 10:30 AM on April 26 at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Sudbury, MA followed by a luncheon reception at Northeastern University’s Henderson House in Weston, MA.

Memorial tributes my be sent to: Avow Hospice, 1095 Whippoorwill Lane, Naples, FL 34105 or the Alzheimer’s Support Network, 660 Tamiami Trail N. Suite 21, Naples, FL 34102.

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