Susan Bassett Named Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year

June 22 – (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Carnegie Mellon University Director of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation Susan Bassett has been named the Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year. Bassett is one of 29 individuals honored by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and one of four Division III administrators to win the prestigious award.

"Before the program's inception, our Honors and Awards Committee recognized a need for an award such as the AD of the Year," said NACDA Executive Director Mike Cleary. “The program brings to light the exceptional jobs done by athletics directors across the country. These 29 winners exemplify that, providing us with a group of outstanding athletics directors who excel at their jobs."

Bassett, who was the Athletics Director of the Year for the Central Region of the United States, recently completed her fifth year at the helm of the Carnegie Mellon department. A national leader in intercollegiate athletics for more than two decades, Bassett was recently selected as president-elect of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) and will serve as the organization’s president during the 2010-11 academic year. Bassett will become just the first active Division III athletics director to assume the executive post.

The Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year award comes on the heels of one of the most exciting periods in Carnegie Mellon athletics history, as the Tartan programs have started to establish themselves among the most competitive in Division III.

“I am truly honored to receive this award from NACDA and Under Armour,” Bassett said. “We are proud of all that we have accomplished at Carnegie Mellon over the past few years. I am fortunate to have an outstanding coaching and administrative staff that works hard to provide meaningful and memorable experiences for our student-athletes.”

During her tenure, Bassett has overseen a period of remarkable growth for her department through an unwavering commitment to excellence. Bassett has bolstered her staff with the addition of full-time assistant coaches, a full-time strength and conditioning and coach and increased administrative staff. She has also implemented an Excellence Forum, which serves to provide staff with professional development opportunities and students with leadership and life skill development.

While in Pittsburgh, Bassett has focused much of her attention on facility enhancements that positively impact the entire university community. In 2006, the playing surface at Gesling Stadium was replaced with state-of-the-art FieldTurf. Additionally, Bassett oversaw the replacement of the Gesling Stadium track and added cutting edge scoreboards to the stadium, pool and basketball arena. Most recently, Carnegie Mellon began construction on a new playing field that will be used for intramurals, club sports and intercollegiate soccer.

A member of the Ithaca College and Union College Athletics Halls of Fame, Bassett began her career as the head swimming and diving coach at William Smith, where she later served as athletics director for 10 years. In 2004, Bassett was chair of the Division III Management Council during one of the most influential periods in NCAA and Division III history.

Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year honorees will receive their awards during the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon on Thursday, June 24 at NACDA's 45th Annual Convention at the Marriott Hotel in Anaheim, Calif.