By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Willamette University Associate AD/Senior Woman Administrator Leslie Shevlin has been chosen as the winner of the 2022 NCAA Division III Emerging Athletic Administrator Award as selected by the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA). Shevlin will receive a $1,000 grant from the NADIIIAA to cover travel, lodging, and registration expenses to attend the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and Affiliates Convention this year or in 2023.

The Emerging Athletic Administrator Award is provided annually to a professional with seven or fewer years of cumulative experience as an athletics administrator in NCAA Division III.

"I appreciate NADIIIAA for this honor and our Director of Athletics, Rob Passage, for the nomination," Shevlin said. "It has been a difficult couple of years in intercollegiate athletics and higher education. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with the staff, coaches, and student-athletes at Willamette University."

Shevlin is completing her third year as the associate athletic director and senior woman administrator at Willamette. She also is the Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Athletics at Willamette and is the Athletics Diversity and Inclusion designee. She previously served as Willamette's head men's and women's swimming coach for nine years. She recently received the Sue J. Rauch Distinguished Service to Willamette Athletics Award.

In her current roles, Shevlin oversees compliance, student-athlete development, student-athlete success, and day-to-day financial operations for the WU Department of Athletics. In addition, she supervises Willamette's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and is on the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships Committee.

"It is so great to see Leslie getting recognition on the national level for the outstanding work she does every day," Passage commented. "She is a dynamic leader in our department, a champion for our student-athletes, and a positive force across the entire campus".

Prior to arriving at Willamette, Shevlin was an assistant men's and women's swimming coach at the University of New Mexico. She was a collegiate swimmer for the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where she received a bachelor's degree in Communication Studies. She earned a master's degree in Leadership and Management from Duquesne University. While at Duquesne, she was a graduate assistant men's and women's swimming coach.

NADIIIAA includes athletic administrators at over 360 colleges, universities, and conferences competing at the NCAA Division III level. NADIIIAA is administered by NACDA.