Betsy Stephenson, associate athletic director and senior
women’s administrator for UCLA, announced March 31 that she
will leave Westwood next year to take over athletic director
responsibilities at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga.
“Betsy Stephenson is a tremendous fit for our exemplary
scholar athletes and dedicated coaching staff,” said John
Ford, Emory senior vice president and dean of campus life.
“I’m confident she will provide strong leadership for
Emory’s athletics and recreation programs.”
Stephenson will oversee 18 varsity sports and the recreational
services program at Emory, which is a Division III institution.
Last year, Emory finished second on the NACDA Director’s Cup
for best all-around Division III school and claims the most CoSIDA
All-Americans of any NCAA institution.
“I am thrilled to be selected to lead Emory’s
athletics and recreation program,” Stephenson said.
“The national academic and athletic success of its program
is exemplary and of a caliber of which I am honored to be
associated.”
Stephenson, who has held her current position at UCLA for eight
years, was a candidate for UCLA’s athletic director position
in 2002, when Dan Guerrero was hired from UC Irvine.
As associate athletic director, Stephenson oversees 12 of the
men’s and women’s sports programs, as well as
recruiting, academic and student services, and the administration
of selected NCAA and conference championships hosted by UCLA.
Since January 2000, Stephenson has held a spot on the NCAA
Division I Management Council, the highest-ranking governing body
for intercollegiate athletics. The council suggests policies to
ensure the proper management of Division I athletics and recommends
fiscal, competitive and academic policies to the NCAA Board of
Directors.
Before coming to UCLA in 1996, Stephenson worked for four years
at Kansas, her alma mater, in the same capacity as at UCLA. While
there, she supervised 12 head coaches, as well as the marketing,
equipment and strength and conditioning operations.
She graduated from Kansas in 1983 and spent eight years working
for the NCAA before returning to the Jayhawks’ athletic
department. She spent three years as Director for Division I
Men’s Basketball Operations.
Her final day at UCLA will be May 31.