As of the 2024–25 academic year, there are 425 colleges and universities that fall under the NCAA’s Division III for athletics. Among those schools, 147 have female directors of athletics, which represents the highest ratio across every division in the NCAA.

Compared to the data from the 2011-12 NCAA records, the number of female athletic directors saw a 5% increase from 2012 to 2024. As of 2023, approximately 85% of Division I institutions are led by male athletic directors, with the number of female directors sitting at 57, compared to 308 male counterparts. Division I presents an underwhelming number of female athletic directors compared to the percentage of Division II at 25%, where that number sits at 76. Both are lower than the numbers from Division III. 

Patti Phillips is the CEO of Women Leaders in Sports, an organization dedicated to empowering women’s careers. She said she has seen the organization reach new heights since she took over the position in 2010, watching women’s leadership roles in sports gradually increase during her tenure. Phillips said that outside of sports, it is essential for women’s work to be displayed in every field, emphasizing strength in numbers.

“It’s not uncommon for sports to lead the way in making society a more inclusive and representative space,” Phillips said via email. “The rise of women leaders is an essential part of this narrative. Women have always shown their commitment and ability to do the work. Now, it’s time for their leadership skills to be recognized.”

Phillips said the increase in women assuming leadership roles in college athletics provides a powerful opportunity for women’s voices to push Women Leaders in Sports’ agenda forward.

“As long as women are given a chance to lead, I have no doubt their success will result in more women getting opportunities,” Phillips said. “Women leaders also know when to reach back and lift another woman up — giving her an opportunity she might not have gotten otherwise.”

On the coaching side, 26% of head coaches at the Division III level are female, also the highest number across all three divisions, with Division I and II not far behind with 25% and 22%, respectively.

Maureen Ordnung, associate coach of the Ithaca College field hockey team, has worked with head coach Kaitlyn Wahila for the past eight seasons. Ordnung said Wahila’s goal-oriented mindset and her abilities to lead the program set her apart from other field hockey head coaches. 

“I watched her build a foundation of connection, team cohesion, team unity and team love within our program and making sure that we started there,” Ordnung said. “Not many coaches and not many assistants stick around for a decade, but I don’t have any plans to go anywhere else because I don’t really see a better culture than what we have here.”

Ordnung said Division III provides the best chance for female coaches looking to break into college athletics, along with several different roles available outside of coaching.

“I think Division III is a really great place to get involved and grow,” Ordnung said. “I really like it because I think you have more with the Division III model of philosophy. It’s more personal, and you get to really connect with people and help them grow, also in the leadership position.”

Susan Bassett ’79, director of intercollegiate athletics at Ithaca College, previously worked as the president of Women Leaders in Sports in 2010. Bassett was the first president of the organization.

Bassett said that promoting the idea of women head coaches in both men’s and women’s sports at the college is attractive to prospective student-athletes and future coaches.

“I do believe that it’s wonderful to have … women leaders as head coaches of our women’s sport programs to the best extent possible,” Bassett said. “And then in some cases, as we just did with [men and women’s cross country head coach Erin Dinan], elevate somebody who’s really excellent to coach both men and women.”

Bassett said Women Leaders in Sports empowers women to take on leadership roles and prepares them to be successful once they assume those roles.

Before she became the first president, Bassett shaped how Women Leaders in Sports prepares women for their careers in sports leadership roles. Previously, she was the director of athletics, physical education and recreation at Carnegie Mellon University from 2005–2013, a Division III institution. Bassett was also a head coach for multiple Division III institutions in swimming and diving, where she was named the NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 1993 at Union College.

As part of her role at Ithaca College, Bassett works with athletic directors at other Division III schools. One of those athletic directors is Kristie Bowers, associate vice president and director of athletics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a Liberty League competitor.

Bowers previously worked at the Division I level at Boston University. She said that working at the Division I level prepared her to transition into her current role at RPI. She said coordinating with the other female athletic directors across the Liberty League, including Bassett, has improved her understanding of how to run a collegiate athletics program.

“I think it’s one of those things that I always lean into my colleagues who have wisdom that I just have not had the years of experience to gain yet,” Bowers said. “I’m really excited to have such a person like Susan available to me as a resource. [Director of athletics Michelle Walsh] at [Vassar College], she’s been incredible as well, just picking her brain about how do I balance advocating for RPI and making sure that our voice is heard from an institution perspective and the uniqueness of who we are.”

Having several female colleagues in the past at the Division I level, Bowers said she saw openings in athletic departments at the Division III level as a message for women to take their shot at becoming leaders in sport.

“It opened the door a little bit to those that were maybe considering getting out of the profession,” Bowers said. “I certainly hope that it helps to elevate others and to help them see this as a career path, especially women within our athletic department.”

Phillips said that although the legislation from Title IX had a major impact on the increase of women’s leadership roles in collegiate athletics, women have always had the capability to lead a team, program or department toward success.