DII New Directors of Athletics Orientation supports transitions to new role

17 athletics directors introduced to resources available through NCAA, D2 ADA

Posted on 10/17/22 2:00 PM

Seventeen leaders in college athletics attended the Division II New Directors of Athletics Orientation event Sept. 28-29 in Indianapolis. The attendees, the majority of whom have been in their role for less than a year, left with a wealth of knowledge about the NCAA and Division II, as well as a network of people going through similar experiences.

The annual event, held in some form since 2011,is hosted by the NCAA and the Division II Athletics Directors Association. The goal of the program is to support athletics directors in their transition to the role through networking, professional development and education. Attendees were also introduced to the resources available to them through the NCAA and the D2 ADA.

"It was a great experience. It was very informative and provided a lot of information that you don't get in training when you step into your new role at your university or college," John Sisemore, director of athletics at Northeastern State, said of the event. "It's good to have a resource with the NCAA and the D2 ADA to be able to lay that information out, all the way from how to navigate the (NCAA's) website to basically introducing us to a lot of new ADs and people who have been in the field. It was a lot of information, and it was very beneficial."

Attendees received an in-depth education on Division II. They were given an overview of the division's governance structure and legislative process, including how the division prioritizes the student-athlete voice through the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Additionally, attendees learned the ins and outs of Division II's budget and championships, which included going through a mock championship selection exercise to gain insight into that process.

"I wish I had this opportunity when I was coming up through the business," said Kim Pate, who has led the athletics department at Lenoir-Rhyne since 2016 and is the current president of the D2 ADA. "I think it just gives them a great foundation for Division II, not only to understand some of the organization or structure but all the resources that Division II has to offer ADs. I think most of us don't realize that. Every time I come to this event, I learn something new, and I've been at it for a while. I think it just puts them on a track to have great success in their roles. We hope to be able to pour into them and help them grow — that's part of the D2 ADA mission."

Attendees were briefed on resources available to help them in their roles, too. This included resources to help them tell Division II's story to a variety of stakeholders through the lens of Division II's "Life in the Balance" philosophy and "Make It Yours" brand. The attendees were also taught some best practices on how to use the NCAA Institutional Performance Program, which aims to provide leaders with vital data to assist with the performance and oversight of their athletics departments.

"I worked in Division I and I played in Division III, so Division II is new for me," said Chase Licata, the recently named director of athletics at Staten Island and a former basketball player at Muhlenberg. "Just getting the understanding of what Division II represents, its unique way, was an awesome experience. It really helped me pave some pathways for what we want to do going forward. I thought it was really important and gave me a better understanding of what DII is."

Representatives of the NCAA's office of inclusion and Sport Science Institute also briefed the attendees on their departments' respective priorities, committees they work with, key initiatives and events, and relevant resources available.

The event included a panel discussion of D2 ADA officers with years of experience as Division II directors of athletics. The discussion included Andrew Gavin (Wisconsin-Parkside), Mike McFarland (Bloomsburg) and Pate, who offered insight into their transition to the role and provided advice on a variety of issues they've encountered leading an athletics department

"To listen to the ADs going through what their experiences have been from the very beginning to where they're at now, they've already walked in your shoes, and like I say, 'You don't want to go to a dentist with bad teeth.' You want to go to somebody who's done really, really well and has experienced the trials and tribulations," Sisemore said. "For them to lay out some of the things they've encountered and done and been successful and not successful at is just a wealth of information that you get in 30 minutes that if you did it on your own might take you two years."

New Directors of Athletics OrientationRoster