Santa Clara Director of Athletics Receives National Honor

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Santa Clara University Director of Athletics Cheryl Levick has been honored as the NCAA Division I-A Administrator of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA), the organization has announced.

   Levick, who was named Director of Athletics at SCU in May, will be honored at the 2000 Jostens Administrator of the Year Banquet on Oct. 23 at the NACWAA Fall Forum in Denver, Colo. The award, recognizing administrative excellence, is presented annually to NACWAA members in NCAA Division I-A, I-AA, I-AAA, II, III, NAIA/Junior/Community College and organizations.

   Cheryl brings to Santa Clara the leadership that will raise our recreational, club and intercollegiate athletics to a new level while contributing to our Jesuit vision of educating for competence, conscience and compassion," said Santa Clara University President Paul Locatelli, S.J. I like her commitment to educational quality and her passion to excel."

   Levick is being honored for her work at Stanford University, where she spent 12 years as the senior associate athletic director and senior woman administrator. While at Stanford, Levick served as the chief operating officer, overseeing the internal operations of the department. She also oversaw the areas of student services, NCAA compliance and eligibility, sports medicine and strength programs, post-season championships and personnel. Cardinal athletics won 39 national championships and six Sears Cup titles, while adding three sports and 42 scholarships during Levicks tenure. She was also instrumental in doubling the financial aid awarded to student-athletes to $10 million.

   It is certainly a tremendous honor to receive such a prestigious award from this group of my peers," said Levick, who is the first female athletic director in Santa Clara and West Coast Conference history. I have been blessed with wonderful mentors who have provided the leadership and guidance to help me both personally and professionally. I appreciate the recognition from NACWAA for my efforts at Stanford and I look forward to helping Santa Clara realize its vision of excellence on and off the playing field."

   Recently, Levick was appointed as the West Coast Conference representative to the NCAA Management Council and chairs the NCAA Committee on Womens Athletics. She also serves on the San Jose Sports Authoritys board of directors and has been a member of the Pacific-10 Conference Council as well as several other league committees. Last year, Levick chaired the local organizing committee for the 1999 NCAA Womens Basketball Final Four, hosted by Stanford at the San Jose Arena. She is also a member of the board of directors for the Bay Area Sports Organizing Committee, which is the group responsible for assembling a bid for the 2012 Olympic Games.

   A graduate of the University of Missouri, Levick earned a masters degree in athletic administration from Indiana University, while serving as the assistant gymnastics coach and synchronized swim coach for the Hoosiers. She began her coaching career at Pattonville Senior High School in St. Louis, Mo. and also served time as the womens gymnastics coach and associate athletic director at Slippery Rock University. Levick entered administrative duties on a full-time basis with a position at the NCAA as an assistant director of communications and womens programs and at Pac-10 Conference office as an assistant commissioner before going to Stanford in 1988.

   The other women recognized for this award are Jo Ann Josie" Harper, Dartmouth College; Diane T. Wendt, University of Denver; Gwendolyn Davis-Reeves, Fort Valley State University; Marilyn Moore, State University of New York at Genesco; Lea Plarski, Saint Louis Community College at Florissant Valley and Patricia Wall, Southeastern Conference.

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