What are our Alumni up to today?

This is where the Academy’s wide network of graduates come to tell others about the great things they are doing in the world of sport. The Class Notes section is the perfect place to share personal and professional news with friends and classmates. Please share with us information about special milestones in your life, career achievements, honors and recognitions, etc.  And while you are here, read what other Academy Alumni have been up to. We look forward to hearing from you!

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2022

Dr. Thomas E. Sather Ed.D, MSS, CAsP

(Dual MSS, Fitness/Sports Med-1996; Ed.D Fitness Mgmt / Leadership-2015)

February 2022
United States Sports Academy masters and doctoral degree (Dual MSS, Fitness/Sports Med-1996; Ed.D Fitness Mgmt / Leadership-2015) alumni Dr. Thomas E. Sather (CDR, MSC, USN) transferred from the Defense Health Agency (DHA) where he as the Chief of Military Medical Treatment Facilities Operations for Education and Training and the Military Health System Life Support Training program manager in Falls Church, Virginia where he oversaw and directed a training cadre of 14,000 medical professionals delivering training to 250,000+ military personnel across 400+ sites worldwide to the Navy Medicine Training Support Center (NMTSC) onboard Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) in Texas. NMTSC is the Navy component command that provides administrative and operational control over Navy staff and students assigned to the Medical Education & Training Campus and other medical programs in the San Antonio area. As the Director for Academic Support, Dr. Sather oversees NMTSC’s 2,500+ students and 500+ instructors and support staff onboard JBSA as well as NMTSC’s three detachments (Naval Medical Center San Diego, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, and Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune) supporting Navy Medicine’s clinical phases of advanced Corpsman schools. In addition to his Navy duties, Dr. Sather is also the Chairman (Interim) of the Education Sub-Council for the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council, a team of experts who ensure that what’s taught by the American Red Cross is based on the latest and best in emergency science.

2020

Byron Cunningham (M.S.S. – Sports Medicine – 2002)

January 2020
In late October 2018, Byron Cunningham earned a promotion within the athletic training staff of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams organization. One year later, Cunningham was named the United States Sports Academy’s Alumnus of the Year for 2019. Cunningham is the director of rehabilitation and assistant athletic trainer for the Rams’ award winning training staff. He spent the previous eight seasons as a physical therapist and assistant athletic trainer for the Rams.

Mike Leach (M.S.S. – Sports Coaching – 1988)

January 2020
Mike Leach, a two-time national coach of the year and former United States Sports Academy Alumnus of the Year, was recently hired as the head football coach at Mississippi State University. Leach is known as the mastermind behind the “Air Raid” offense that has put up huge offensive numbers in his head coaching stops and Washington State and Texas Tech and also when he was an assistant coach at Kentucky.

Dr. Linda Hilgenbrinck (M.S.S. – Sports Health and Fitness  – 1984)

January 2020
United States Sport Academy master’s degree alumna Dr. Linda Hilgenbrinck has spent almost her entire career helping young people with adapted needs through physical education, working at every level of education for more than 30 years. The 2012 National Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year, Hilgenbrinck earned her Master of Sports Science degree in sports fitness and health management from the Academy in 1984 and holds a Ph.D. in adapted physical education from Texas Women’s University. She works as an Adapted Physical Education Specialist within the Denton (Texas) Independent School District (ISD), serving students with adapted needs in eight schools and at every age level from kindergarten through high school.

2019

Daryl Jarvis (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 2015)

December 2019
West Florence (S.C.) High School boys’ basketball coach Daryl Jarvis learned more than just the X’s and O’s of coaching while pursuing his master’s degree from the United States Sports Academy. He led the West Florence boys to their first region title since 1992 in his first season there after being hired by the school in May 2018.

Dr. Keary Rouff (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2007)

December 2019
Dr. Keary Rouff said earning his doctoral degree from the United States Sports Academy helped him to see how sport is a global force and ultimately led to his current work in the higher education world. Rouff was recently hired as the program director for sport management and an assistant professor in the business department at Alfred State College in the State University of New York (SUNY) system.

Dr. Marty Durden (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2016)

December 2019
Dr. Marty Durden completed his United States Sports Academy doctoral degree with a dissertation that researched how “servant leadership” from high school coaches motivated their athletes on the basketball court. Now, Durden says he’s become an evangelist for the servant-leadership style of coaching. Durden is the athletic director at Presbyterian School in Houston, Texas.

Wayne Burley (M.S.S. – Sports Health and Fitness Management – 1987)

November 2019
Master’s degree holder Wayne Burley has one of the more unique jobs among the United States Sports Academy’s more than 5,000 graduates around the world. Burley is one of roughly 150 people in the world who are trained to teach the C.O.B.R.A. (Combat Objective Battle Ready Application) personal defense system.

Adam Petway (B.S.S. – Sports Coaching – 2015)

November 2019
United States Sports Academy alumnus Adam Petway is one of many of the institution’s graduates who have reached the professional sports level after being promoted to Lead Biomechanist, Strength and Conditioning Specialist for the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers.

Dennis Lindsey (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 1994)

June 2019
The Academy’s 2004 Alumnus of the Year Dennis Lindsey was promoted to executive vice president of basketball operations for the NBA’s Utah Jazz franchise. Lindsey previously served as the team’s general manager since 2012.

Dr. Angel Mejico (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2016)

June 2019
While working as a visual arts teacher at El Cerrito Middle School in California’s Corona-Norco Unified School District, Dr. Angel Mejico founded an art academy and annual art expo which has gained notoriety around the state. Because of her efforts in the classroom and school district, Mejico was named one of California’s five Teachers of the Year in 2019.

Dusty Gunn (M.S.S. – Sports Coaching – 2008)

May 2019
After spending time as a coach, teacher, healthcare administrator and non-profit director, Dusty Gunn was hired as the Director of Athletics at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Anthony D’Onofrio (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 1997)

May 2019
Anthony D’Onofrio is the director of the graduate athletic administration program at Endicott College in Boston, Mass. He is also the owner and director of the Crawfish Relay, a 200-mile running and cycling relay that begins in New Orleans, La., and ends at the historic Flora-Bama at the Alabama-Florida state line on the Gulf Coast.

Cindy Hodo (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 1989)

May 2019
Cindy Hodo is the owner and founding partner of Quest Group, a boutique advertising agency and health and wellness coaching business based in Birmingham, Ala.

Dr. Joseph Spears (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2011)

May 2019
After working for six years in an assistant professor role at Bowie State University, Academy graduate Dr. Joseph Spears was rewarded with a promotion and granted tenure. Spears, who lives in Maryland, was awarded tenure and promoted to the rank of associate professor of sports management at Bowie (Md.) State University, where he also serves as NCAA faculty athletic representative.

Drew Richards (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 2013)

April 2019
After being named one of the top assistant basketball coaches in the country last year, United States Sports Academy alumnus Drew Richards was hired as the head men’s basketball coach at Lander University in Greenwood, S.C.

Dr. Thomas Sather (Ed.D. – Sports Management – M.S.S. – Sports Management)

April 2019
Dr. Thomas Sather is the chief of policy and programs, education and training of the DHA, a joint, integrated Combat Support Agency that enables the Army, Navy, and Air Force medical services to provide a medically ready force and a ready medical force to combatant commands in peace and wartime.

George Wallace (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 2000)

March 2019
George Wallace teaches adaptive physical education to students with special needs at Lee Central High School in Bishopville, S.C.

Scott Novack (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 1997)

March 2019
Academy 2018 Alumnus of the Year Scott Novack played a major role for USA Rugby as the team he manages recently began a historic run and set its sights on Olympic qualification. Novack, a Colorado native, is the program operations manager for USA Rugby’s Men’s Eagles Sevens team, which recorded five consecutive podium finishes – including one championship – in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens series.

Fay Minor (M.S.S. – Sports Management and Sports Coaching – 2010)

February 2019
Fay Minor was hired to be the Program/Sports Director at the YMCA in her hometown of Natchez, Miss.

Dr. Bill Holcomb (M.S.S. – Sports Medicine – 1988)

January 2019
Dr. Bill Holcomb, the founding director of the professional master’s program in athletic training at Mercer University, was named the winner of the United States Sports Academy’s 2018 Dr. Ernst Jokl Sports Medicine Award. Holcomb is a professor at Mercer University in Macon, Ga.

2018

Dr. Todd Pitts (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2017)

December 2018
Academy alumnus Dr. Todd Pitts recently earned his doctoral degree from the institution and with it, earned a promotion to become an associate professor in the collegiate ranks. Pitts has taught in various roles at Davenport University in Grand Rapids, Mich., for more than 20 years. Upon earning his Doctor of Education degree in sports management from the Academy in 2017, Pitts was promoted to become an associate professor of sport management at Davenport.

Darrell Bailey (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 2004)

December 2018
California State University East Bay (CSUEB) assistant athletic director for development Darrell Bailey said the United States Sports Academy was a blessing for his career and a spring board into collegiate athletics administration. Bailey, who is charged with increasing revenue to the Pioneers athletics department through donor support and corporate sponsorships, earned his Master of Sports Science degree in sports management from the Academy in 2004.

Dr. Andy Dotterweich (M.S.S. – Sports Coaching and Sports Medicine – 1998)

December 2018
Academy alumnus Dr. Andy Dotterweich wears many hats in his role as an associate professor at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) and operations manager at an official Olympic Training Site in Johnson City, Tenn. Dotterweich earned dual Master of Sports Science degrees in coaching and sports medicine from the Academy in 1998. He is an associate professor in the Sport, Exercise, Recreation and Kinesiology Department at ETSU. He also serves as the operations manager for the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) program at the institution’s Center for Excellence for Sport Science and Coach Education, the Olympic Training Site on the ETSU campus.

Scott Novack (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 1997)

November 2018
Nationally acclaimed sports administrator and high performance director Scott Novack was named the Academy’s 2018 Alumnus of the Year. Novack, a Colorado native, earned his Master of Sports Science degree in sports management from the Academy in 1997 and participated in a mentorship at Brunel University in London, where he met other students and administrators who helped to spark his interest international sports like rugby. He was recently hired as the program operations manager for the USA Rugby Men’s Eagles Sevens team.

Scott Garvis (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 2005)

March 2018
United States Sports Academy alumnus Scott Garvis, who has worked as the athletics and activities director at Newton (Iowa) Senior High School for five years, was recently hired for a similar position at Ankeny (Iowa) Centennial High School. Garvis earned his Master of Sports Science degree in sports management from the Academy in 2005. A native of Worthington, Minn., Garvis has more than 20 years of experience as a coach and athletics administrator in Iowa, Minnesota and Washington. Garvis earned his Academy degree while working as athletic director and assistant principal at Muscatine (Iowa) High School.

Drew Richards (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 2013)

March 2018
Academy alumnus and University of North Carolina Pembroke (UNCP) men’s basketball associate head coach Drew Richards was recently recognized as one of the top assistant coaches in the country. Richards was honored as one of the best assistant coaches in NCAA Division II by CoachStat.net, a website that uses analytical data to compile a comprehensive ranking of men’s basketball coaches in a variety of categories. CoachStat.net said the list, which featured 25 top Division II assistant coaches, was “balanced by a wide scope of basketball, administrative, community and other responsibilities. These coaches excel in the stat sheets, developing their players, meeting their lower level limitations and succeeding despite them.” Richards earned his Master of Sports Science degree in sports management from the Academy in 2013.

Ernie McCook (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 1999)

March 2018
After spending nearly two decades as an assistant football coach at one of NCAA Division II’s most successful programs, United States Sports Academy alumnus Ernie McCook has been promoted to head football coach at the same program. McCook spent 18 years as an assistant coach for the Rams of Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W.Va., working his way up from position coach to offensive coordinator to assistant head coach for legendary coach Monte Cater, who recently retired after 31 years. A successful offensive coach, McCook was promoted to head coach in January 2018. McCook earned his Master of Sports Science degree in sports management from the Academy in 1999. He pursued his degree while continuing to work in the coaching field, first at Wesley College in Dover, Del., then at Shepherd.

Karen M. Carty (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 2009)

February 2018
Academy alumna Karen M. Carty is using her master’s degree to lead the sports marketing program at Louisiana’s Grambling State University (GSU). A native of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Carty is completing her first year as the assistant athletics director for marketing and communications at GSU. Prior to Grambling, Carty worked in the athletics department at South Carolina State University (SCSU) as the director of marketing and in media relations for the school’s volleyball, women’s soccer, women’s basketball and softball teams. Carty earned her Master of Sports Science degree in sports management from the Academy in 2009.

Aimee Fador (B.S.S. – Sports Management – 2009)

February 2018
Aimee Fador was a highly regarded high school basketball player who could have gone to college on an athletic scholarship, but, like many people, special family circumstances kept her from leaving home to attend college immediately after high school graduation. A former high-level basketball player at Waterford (Conn.) High School, Fador was recruited by several Division I and II basketball programs. However, circumstances led to her choosing to stay home to be close to family. She never lost sight of her goal to become a basketball coach, and in 2009 she was able to take advantage of the United States Sports Academy’s online program to earn her Bachelor of Sports Science degree in sports management. Fador is now works at the Williams School – a small, liberal arts private school on the campus of Connecticut College in New London, Conn. Fador is the assistant athletic director, physical education and health teacher, and varsity girls’ basketball coach at the school.

Dr. China Jude (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 1996)

February 2018
Dr. China Jude said her education from the United States Sports Academy gave her the knowledge and confidence to excel in the world of collegiate sports, which led to her recent hiring to a senior athletics administration position at the University of Wyoming. Jude recently made a long-sought jump to NCAA Division I upon being hired as the senior associate athletics director for administration and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) at the University of Wyoming. She began her new position on 1 February 2018. She was named the Academy’s 2011 Alumna of the Year for her work as the assistant vice president of athletics and athletics director at Queens College in New York City, where she oversaw the athletics department’s 19 NCAA Division II varsity sports for more than six years.

Darryl Nance (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 1991)

January 2018
Academy alumnus Darryl Nance has been presented the Frank Kovaleski Professional Development Award, a national honor given annually to an administrator who has made significant contributions and demonstrated excellence in professional development at the local, state and national levels. After nearly 30 years as a high school coach and teacher, Nance has served as the director of athletics for Greenville County (S.C.) Schools since 2015. The Frank Kovaleski Award is presented by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA), of which Nance is a member.

Jody Hodgson (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 1995)

January 2018
Jody Hodgson, the manager of one of the largest sports arenas in North Dakota, says his United States Sports Academy master’s degree and participation in the institution’s mentorship program helped launch his career in the sports facilities management field. A resident of Grand Forks, N.D., Hodgson is the general manager at the Ralph Engelstad Arena, which is known for hosting University of North Dakota (UND) hockey and men’s and women’s basketball games. For his master’s degree mentorship program, Hodgson worked for head coach and general manager Jean Person of the San Francisco Spiders of the International Hockey League, an experience he said gave him the knowledge and contacts he needed to secure employment in sports management.

2017

Chad Lunsford (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 2002)

December 2017
Academy alumnus Chad Lunsford, who served on the staff that led Auburn University to the 2010 BCS National Championship in football, has been promoted to head football coach at Georgia Southern University (GSU) in Statesboro, Ga. Lunsford was named the Eagles’ head coach after serving in an interim role since October, when he was promoted from assistant head coach.

Joe Toomey (M.S.S. – Sports Coaching – 2002)

December 2017
Academy alumnus Joe Toomey used his Academy master’s degree to build on his skills as a coach and expand his career to school administration, a move that recently earned him the position of principal at one of Alabama’s most historic high schools. Toomey is principal of Murphy High School in Mobile, Ala., known for its longtime academic excellence and historic role as the state’s oldest high school.

Joe Underwood (M.S.S. – Sports Medicine – 1987)

November 2017
Successful athletic trainer, television production teacher and United States Sports Academy alumnus Dr. Joseph Underwood has added to his long list of accomplishments by being named to a prestigious fellowship from the National Education Association (NEA). Underwood was recently named an NEA Foundation Global Fellow, where he will serve in a year-long professional development program designed to enhance global education and competency in grades K-12 in the United States. The program culminates with an international field study in South Africa in the summer of 2018. He has worked at Miami (Fla.) Senior High School since 1985. He worked as the school’s head athletic trainer between 1987 and 2000, while also serving as the television production teacher, a position he still holds.

Dr. Dave Shrock (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2009)

November 2017
Nationally acclaimed track and field leader, coach and professor Dr. Dave Shrock was named the United States Sports Academy’s 2017 Alumnus of the Year. Shrock has served in numerous leadership roles for USA Track & Field (USATF) and has coached track and field at various levels for more than four decades. He earned his Doctor of Education degree in sports management from the Academy in 2009.

Dr. Bonnie Tiell (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2004)

November 2017
Academy alumna and honoree Dr. Bonnie Tiell earned the Provost Award, the highest annual honor given to a faculty member at Tiffin University in Tiffin, Ohio. Tiell, who earned her Doctor of Education degree in sports management from the Academy in 2004, is a professor of sport management at Tiffin University. She has been widely recognized for her contributions to intercollegiate athletic administration and global sports governance. She is the founder and co-director of the Olympic Academic Experience (OAE), a program through Tiffin University that offers students from around the world the opportunity for on-site study of the organization, supervision, and management of international sport venues and elite competition in an Olympic host city. She is also co-founder of a humanitarian program for underprivileged youth in Olympic host cities with fellow United States Sports Academy alumnus Dr. Francis Dove-Edwin, who serves as co-director.

Dr. Sandra Geringer (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2017)

October 2017
Dr. Sandra K. Geringer says the United States Sports Academy has opened doors for her in many ways, including the opportunity to teach abroad, earn her doctorate, and teach Academy students as the newly appointed Director of Sports Studies. Geringer completed her Doctor of Education degree in sports management with an emphasis in sport marketing, with honors. She began her doctoral studies with the Academy in 2015 and worked her way up to become the Acting Director of Sports Studies in 2016. At the time, she was taking Academy doctoral courses while also teaching students. The “acting” portion of her title was removed after she completed her doctorate, launching her career as Director of Sports Studies.

Dwight Hornibrook (M.S.S. – Sports Studies – 2008)

October 2017
Academy alumnus and longtime collegiate soccer coach Dwight Hornibrook was named head coach of the women’s soccer team at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. A native of Fredericton in New Brunswick, Canada, Hornibrook had previously served as an assistant coach at Cornell for five seasons and as the team’s interim head coach before the promotion. He earned his Master of Sports Science degree in sports studies from the Academy in 2008 with honors while he was working as men’s soccer coach at the State University of New York (SUNY) Cortland.

Dr. Michael Armstrong (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2012)

September 2017
Former college football player, current high school football coach and United States Sports Academy alumnus Dr. Michael Armstrong was honored as the Strength Coach of the Year in South Carolina. Armstrong is the assistant athletic director, head strength coach and offensive line coach at Lugoff-Elgin High School (LEHS) in Lugoff, S.C. He earned his Doctor of Education degree in sports management from the Academy in 2012. He recently was named the South Carolina Strength Coach of the Year by the state’s Athletic Coaches Association and High School Strength Coaches Association. He became eligible for the award after winning the same honor in the state’s 4A division.

Dr. Ben Billman (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2017)

September 2017
Dr. Ben Billman, a graduate of the United States Sports Academy doctoral program, joined the sport management faculty at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn. Billman served as a doctoral teaching assistant for three years on the Academy’s campus in Daphne, Ala., and earned his Doctor of Education degree in sports management with an emphasis in sports leadership. He was hired by Carson-Newman as an assistant professor.

Dr. Donna Clemons (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2017)

September 2017
With a successful career as a business owner in health and fitness already established, Dr. Donna Clemons used her doctoral degree from the United States Sports Academy to launch an additional career as a college faculty member. A native of Mattoon, Ill., Clemons said her Academy degree helped her to earn a position as chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Exercise Science at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Ala.

Mike Leach (M.S.S. – Sports Coaching – 1988)

August 2017
Academy alumnus and Washington State University head football coach Mike Leach visited the sports university’s campus in Daphne, Ala., where he first learned the skills that he says “ushered me into coaching.” Leach, a native of Cody, Wyo., is the Academy Alumni President and a past winner of the Academy’s Alumnus of the Year Award.

Robb Bolton (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 2007)

August 2017
After experiencing firsthand the difficulties of a personal battle with cancer, United States Sports Academy alumnus Robb Bolton is using his Academy education to benefit the lives of cancer survivors in Southern California. A resident of Newbury Park, Calif., Bolton earned his Master of Sports Science degree in sports management from the Academy in 2007. He is the founder and CEO of Cancer Fit, a non-profit organization that provides free exercise and wellness programs, education and resources for adult and childhood cancer survivors in Southern California. Along with his work at Cancer Fit, Bolton is the associate director of campus recreation at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. At Pepperdine, Bolton works with students, faculty and staff to achieve their fitness and health goals. He will also work to assist Pepperdine as it builds a new and improved recreation facility.

Dr. Joseph Spears (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2011)

July 2017
Academy alumnus Dr. Joseph Spears, who used his Academy doctoral degree to earn a position as a college faculty member, is now seeking to provide elected service in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Spears, who lives in Maryland, is an assistant professor of sports management at Bowie State University in Bowie, Md., where he also serves as NCAA faculty athletic representative. At Bowie State, Spears teaches courses in sports management and conducts research on sport and its relationship to the economy, religious institutions and stakeholders in the community. Spears recently announced his intention to run for public office, seeking the District 27A seat in the Maryland House of Delegates in the 2018 election.

Jaymie Cox (Dual M.S.S. – Sports Coaching and Sports Management – 2017)

July 2017
Academy alumna Jaymie Cox said her master’s degrees and mentorship experience from the Academy helped her to solidify a strong sports education, took her overseas and helped her to secure her job as the head coach of a collegiate volleyball program. Cox, who earned dual Master of Sports Science degrees in sports coaching and sports management from the Academy, is the women’s volleyball coach and assistant athletic director at Olympic College in Bremerton, Wash.

Dr. Karla Faye Jones (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2015)

June 2017
Alumna Dr. Karla Faye Jones said the United States Sports Academy’s knowledgeable, experienced faculty and flexible scheduling options were important factors in her decision to obtain a doctoral degree from the Academy. Jones serves as the chair of the Health and Physical Education Department and the chair of the Worksite Wellness Committee at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) in Charlotte. She also teaches sport management students at Charlotte-area schools Johnson C. Smith University and Queens University of Charlotte.

Daniel Acosta (B.S.S. – Sports Coaching – 2008 and M.S.S. – Sports Coaching – 2010)

May 2017
Long-time athletic scout Daniel Acosta, founder and chief executive officer of College Scout Bureau, said his education from the United States Sports Academy propelled his career as he progressed through the ranks of athletic scouting. Acosta holds two degrees in sports coaching from the Academy: his Bachelor of Sports Science in 2008 and Master of Sports Science in 2010. He is a lifelong baseball player, coach, and scout. He started working on his own scouting company, which would later become College Scout Bureau, in the 1990s. Today, the company connects high school student athletes in baseball, basketball, soccer, football, softball, swimming, and volleyball with college athletic programs that fit their needs and skills.

Khalid Galant (M.S.S. – Sports Medicine – 1994)

May 2017
Academy alumnus Khalid Galant, chief executive officer of the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS), said the Academy’s unique global focus was a major factor in why he chose to earn his master’s degree from the institution. Galant, who lives near Cape Town, South Africa, earned his Master of Sports Science degree in sports medicine from the Academy in 1994. He has served as the CEO of SAIDS since 2008.

Joe Stewart (M.S.S. – Sports Coaching – 1991)

May 2017
Academy alumnus and Madison Plains (Ohio) High School boys basketball coach Joe Stewart was recognized by the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association (OHSBCA) for collecting his 300th career victory. Stewart is known in Ohio as one of the state’s foremost boys basketball program rebuilders, having taken five separate programs from “worst to first” in their respective conferences. He was inducted into the OHSBCA District 14 Hall of Fame in 2014. Named the head coach at Madison Plains High School in London, Ohio, two years ago, he led the Golden Eagles to a 13-9 record this season, the school’s first winning season in any boys sport in seven years.

Jennifer Saylor (Dual M.S.S. – Sports Medicine and Sports Coaching – 2001)

April 2017
Academy alumna Jennifer Saylor, a successful volleyball coach with experience at both the high school and collegiate levels, was named head coach of the women’s volleyball program at Rockford University in Rockford, Ill. Saylor previously spent five years as head volleyball coach at both Morton High School in Morton, Ill., and the Capital Volleyball Academy in Madison, Wisc. She also served as head volleyball coach for four years at Lake Forest College in Illinois as well as six years at Illinois College. She has also coached softball at the collegiate level.

Aaron Muhic (M.S.S. – Sports Coaching – 1996)

April 2017
Aaron Muhic, who has more than 21 years of head basketball coaching experience in the United States, has taken on a new professional adventure — coaching in Canada. The Academy alumnus is currently rebuilding the men’s basketball program at Trinity Western University (TWU).

Torre Becton (M.S.S. – Sports Studies – 2014)

March 2017
Academy alumnus Torre Becton is using his Academy education to climb to high levels in the college football coaching world. Becton – who earned his Master of Sports Science degree in sports studies in 2014 – was hired as the head strength and conditioning coach for the University of California Berkeley football team.

Dr. Mark Janas (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2011)

March 2017
Inventor, innovator and business developer Dr. Mark Janas, a United States Sports Academy alumnus, developed and launched a virtual racing platform designed to revolutionize the world of endurance racing and charitable fundraising, the latest of many products he has created to integrate sport and technology. Janas, who earned his Doctor of Education degree in Sports Management with a sports medicine emphasis in 2011, was the Academy’s 2012 Alumnus of the Year. His latest invention, RevoRace.com, is a platform that can be used as a fundraising tool for schools, charities, sports teams and fundraising events.

Judy Fox (M.S.S. – Sports Coaching – 1992)

February 2017
Academy alumna Judy Fox is using her master’s degree from the Academy to improve the lives of people in underprivileged and underserved communities around the globe, a lifetime goal inspired by a class project from her studies at the Academy. Fox, a 1992 Academy graduate with a Master of Sports Science degree in sports coaching, is the founder and president of Ignite International, a non-profit Christian organization which uses the universal language of sport to enrich, encourage and empower the lives of people around the world.

Brion Packett (M.S.S. – Sports Coaching – 2011)

January 2017
Academy alumnus Brion Packett was named as the first Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at the new Philip Simmons High School in Wando, S.C. Packett has served nine years at Stratford High School in Goose Creek, S.C., at various times as a teacher, soccer coach and resource specialist. Philip Simmons High School, which is currently under construction, will begin its first season of athletic competition in 2017. He said he was intrigued by the opportunity to be part of the opening of a new school.

Dr. Jamie Kootz (Ed.D. – Sports Management – 2016 and M.S.S. – Sports Health and Fitness – 2010)

January 2017
Dr. Jamie Kootz said her dream of becoming a teacher of health and fitness at the college level is being fulfilled thanks to her education at the United States Sports Academy. In fact Kootz, who earned her Master of Sports Science degree in sports health and fitness in 2010 and her Doctor of Education degree in sports management in 2016, was hired to teach at two universities in Kansas: Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina and MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe. Kootz, who resides in Salina, teaches sports management, health and fitness courses. Her Academy doctorate has a sports leadership specialization with an emphasis on sports health and fitness.

2016

Scott Schumacher (M.S.S. – Sports Management – 1990)

December 2016
Blinn College athletic director and men’s basketball coach Scott Schumacher said his degree from the United States Sports Academy has been crucial to his long term success in the world of collegiate athletics. Schumacher – who earned his Master of Sports Science degree in sports management from the Academy in 1990 – said he still applies the lessons he learned from his Academy education to his career today, 26 years later. Based in Brenham, Texas, Blinn is a two-year institution with four campuses and more than 19,000 students.