June 28, 2006

Cleveland, Ohio -- The members of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) have chosen Lee McElroy, director of athletics at the University at Albany, to serve as president for 2006-07. McElroy was elected during NACDA's 41st Annual Convention, held June 20-23 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Also elected to serve NACDA for the 2006-07 term were 1st Vice President Kevin White, director of athletics at University of Notre Dame; 2nd Vice President Joan Cronan, director of women's athletics at the University of Tennessee; 3rd Vice President Randy Spetman, director of athletics at Utah State University; and David Stair, director of athletics at Evangel University, to the first year of a five year term as secretary.

Executive Committee members selected include athletics directors Mike Alden of the University of Missouri, Craig Littlepage of the University of Virginia and Ian McCaw of Baylor University as University Division representatives; and Jim Johnson of Texas A&M University Commerce, Harry Sheehy of Williams College and Julie Soriero of Colorado College as College Division representatives. Chosen as the new junior/community college representative was athletics director Lou Pullano of the Community College of Rhode Island. The new At-Large representative is Beth Bass, executive director of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

Lee McElroy, Director of Athletics, University at Albany
NACDA President

Lee McElroy, Jr. has more than 30 years experience in athletics and educational administration and recently completed his sixth year as the University at Albany's vice president and director of athletics. He provides leadership for Albany's Division I 19-sport intercollegiate athletics program for men and women and is a member of the university's Executive Committee. He also spearheaded a successful search for a broad-based athletics conference when the university accepted an invitation to join the America East Conference in January 2001.

During his tenure, Albany has won 17 conference championships; made NCAA appearances in men's basketball, men's lacrosse, softball, women's volleyball and men and women's track and field; and won the 2004-05 Commissioner's Cup. He also worked to renew the men and women's basketball Capital Region rivalry with Siena College, led the development of a master plan to upgrade the university's athletics and recreational complex and has energized the university's athletics development efforts.

McElroy was a key figure as the university successfully completed the NCAA's second cycle of Division I athletics certification. Additionally, he was instrumental in hiring an architectural firm to develop a plan to improve the university's athletics facilities, including the current construction of a multi-purpose outdoor artificial turf facility with lighting. He was honored with the 2004 General Robert R. Neyland Outstanding Athletics Director Award by the All-American Football Foundation.

McElroy served as president of the America East Conference Executive Committee in 2003-04 and has gained national prominence for his roles with numerous professional organizations and NCAA committees. In 1998, he was named to the NACDA Executive Committee for the University Division and chair of the Directors' Cup Committee. He also serves on NACDA's John McLendon Memorial Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Committee. He has served a three-year term on the Division I Management Council as one of four at-large representatives from Division I-AA or I-AAA conferences. He previously served on four prestigious NCAA committees - Athletics Certification, Financial Aid, Degree Completion Program and the NCAA Special Committee on Agents and Amateurism.

McElroy has testified before congressional committees on issues in college athletics, including gender equity, the welfare of the minority student-athlete and the academic/athletics balance. McElroy serves on the boards of the National Consortium of Academics and Sports, Athletic Business magazine and the National Minority Golf Association. He is also a fellow at the Institute of Ethics and Sportsmanship at the University of Rhode Island.

McElroy was previously director of athletics at American University in Washington, D.C. for four years. He increased the number of sports offered to 19, expanded corporate partners by 400 percent and planned capital projects for a fitness facility, intramural field and soccer stadium. McElroy founded the Eagle Club, the department's fund-raising arm and developed a program rated as one of the top 10 in the nation in its compliance with NCAA gender equity requirements.

From 1989-96, McElroy was the director of athletics at California State University Sacramento, led the program's transition from Division II to Division I and engineered a move to the Big Sky and Big West conferences. He also implemented a strategic plan that developed a corporate partner's plan, created an effective fund-raising and marketing program, redesigned academic support services, improved the athletics facilities complex and provided for campus and community outreach programs.

McElroy also worked at the University of Houston from 1981-88 as assistant director of men and women's sports and as an associate director of athletics. He also served for one year as the director of athletics at the University of the District of Columbia.

McElroy earned a B.S. degree in political science and history from UCLA where he played football, his M.Ed. from the University of Southern California and an Ed.D. from the University of Houston.