Longwood's Troy Austin Named President of I-AAA AD Association
Longwood University athletics director
Troy Austin was appointed president of the Division I Athletics Directors Association (ADA), a professional organization composed of Division I athletics directors and administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
Austin, who is entering his 10th year as Longwood's athletics director, will begin his one-year term as I-AAA ADA president in July. Austin's elevation to president, which was confirmed by a unanimous vote by all members in attendance at the 2016 NACDA Conference in Dallas, Texas, follows his one-year term as ADA 2nd vice president in 2015-16.
"This is an overwhelming honor to be chosen to lead this outstanding group of people as president of the I-AAA ADA for the 2016-17 year," said Austin. "With the attention placed on college athletics by so many groups today, including the experience of our student-athletes, the work we do in the I-AAA ADA is of high importance. I have been a part of this organization for more than a decade, and I am excited to work with the executive committee to continue pushing our group forward."
The I-AAA ADA also chose Austin as the first recipient of the organization's I-AAA Builders' Award, which recognizes one Division I athletics director who for a minimum of five years as an active I-AAA Director of Athletics has contributed to the enhancement of the organization in such a manner as to bring honor to themselves, their institution and the profession as a whole. Austin was selected for the 2016 award by a committee of seven I-AAA members and presented with the honor at the annual NACDA conference on June 13 in Dallas, Texas.
"The NACDA I-AAA Athletic Director's Association is pleased to announce that Troy Austin, athletics director at Longwood University, is the recipient of the inaugural I-AAA Builder's Award," said
Lynne Robinson, director of athletics at Mount St. Mary's University and chair of the seven-member committee of athletics directors who chose Austin for the Builders' Award.
"Troy has made significant contributions to the enhancement of the I-AAA Athletic Director's Association, having served as an officer, a member of the Executive Committee, and the chair of the Sponsorship Committee. In recognition of this service to our Association, as well as his commitment and distinguished service to Longwood University and our profession as a whole, we are proud to present the Builder's Award to Troy Austin."
Austin has been a member of the I-AAA ADA since 2006 and has served two three-year terms on the organization's executive committee from 2009-12 and 2012-15. In addition to his stint as 2nd vice president in 2015-16, Austin also served as ADA secretary in 2013-14 and has held key roles on the ADA legislative review committee and sponsorship committees.
During his 11 years at Longwood, Austin has ushered the Lancers into the Division I era and built a department that has evolved from Division I newcomer to Big South Championship contender. He stepped in as Longwood's interim athletics director in August, 2006 during the institution's final year of reclassification from the Division II level and received full-time appointment as director of athletics in April, 2008. One of the youngest athletics directors in the nation, Austin spearheaded Longwood's membership with the Big South Conference, which began in the 2012-13 season.
Longwood athletics has grown substantially under Austin since 2006, led by the softball program's three Big South Championships and NCAA Regional appearances since 2013. Along with the softball program's second straight conference title and a trip to the NCAA Regional Championship this past season, Longwood baseball experienced a resurgence and tied for second place in the Big South under second-year head coach
Ryan Mau, whom Austin hired in July, 2014.
With Austin at the helm, Longwood athletics has experienced across-the-board success, including multiple top-three conference finishes from the women's soccer and women's lacrosse programs, a Big South championship game appearance from the women's basketball team in 2013 and a Big South semifinal appearance from men's basketball in 2015. Austin has appointed nine of the school's 13 current head coaches.
Austin will be joined on the ADA leadership committee by 1st Vice President
Tim Hall, director of athletics at University of Maryland Baltimore County; 2nd Vice President
Lynne Robinson, director of athletics at Mount St. Mary's University; 3rd Vice President
Jim Paquette, director of athletics at Loyola University (Maryland); Secretary
Mary Ellen Gillespie, director of athletics at University of Wisconsin, Green Bay; and Treasurer
Ken Kavanagh, director of athletics at Florida Gulf Coast University.
The DI-AAA ADA 2016-17 Executive Committee consists of
Mike Carter, director of athletics, Oral Roberts University;
John D'Argenio, director of athletics, Siena College;
Don DiJulia, director of athletics, St. Joseph's University;
Patrick Elliott, director of athletics, Binghamton University;
Irma Garcia, director of athletics, St. Francis College;
Phil Hutcheson, director of athletics, Lipscomb University;
Scott Lazenby, director of athletics, Texas A&M Corpus Christi;
Jean Lenti Ponsetto, director of athletics, DePaul University;
Brandon Martin, director of athletics, California State University Northridge;
Mark Orr, director of athletics, St. Mary's College;
Kim Record, director of athletics, University of North Carolina Greensboro,
Steve Watson, director of athletics, Loyola University Chicago;
Carla Wilson, director of athletics, University of Missouri Kansas City; and
Rich Ensor, commissioner at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
About the Division I-AAA ADA
Entering its 16th year, the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance initiatives common to its Division I-AAA membership (the Division I institutions that do not sponsor football), in particular, aspects related to their flagship basketball programs. For more information on the Division I-AAA ADA, please visit
www.div1aaa-ada.com.
About NACDA
The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) was founded in 1965. The largest association of collegiate athletics administrators, NACDA boasts a membership of more than 12,500 individuals and more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Members include athletics directors, associate and assistant athletics directors, conference commissioners and affiliate individuals or corporations.