Featured Alumni

Throughout his nearly five decade career in athletic leadership, Dr. Marty Durden has written extensively about the “servant-leader” model of sports coaching. Recently, Durden released his new book, “More than Winning: The Servant-Leader Coach in Contemporary Society” that is available for purchase on Amazon. In the book Durden, a 2016 doctoral graduate from the Academy, shares his insight and research about the transformational influence of servant-leadership coaching. “My research has shown that servant-leadership coaching elicits a higher level of sustained effort,” Durden said. “Young people who view their coach through the lens of trust tend to face the crucible of athletics with a higher degree of determination…The Higher Standard is the antidote to the insipient uptick of unethical incidents in our beloved (coaching) profession.” Durden is a veteran coach whose [...]

Longtime faculty member and alumnus Dr. Fred Cromartie has been named interim Vice President of Academic Affairs at the United States Sports Academy. Cromartie is also an Academy alumnus, having earned his Doctor of Education and Master of Sports Science degrees here. Cromartie also holds a master’s degree in Human Resource Development from Webster University and a bachelor’s degree from Ripon College. “I’ve been around here for a long time and I really love the Academy, its students, and its graduates,” Cromartie said. “I am very excited for a new challenge serving as Vice President for Academic Affairs.” In his 26 years of work at the Academy, Cromartie has held various leadership positions including: Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies, Chair of Sports Management, Chair of Sports Studies, Chair of Sports [...]

When the U.S. Men’s Sitting Volleyball Team completed its best-ever finish at the World ParaVolley Championships in Sarajevo in November, the team did so under the leadership of United States Sports Academy alumnus Greg Walker. Walker was the Academy’s 2021 Alumnus of the Year because of his decade of experience coaching volleyball at the Paralympic and collegiate levels. In addition to his coaching duties with Team USA, Walker is also the head coach of the Smith College women’s volleyball team in Northampton, Mass. A native of Huntingdon, Pa., Walker has been active with the U.S. Men’s Sitting Volleyball Team since 2013 and has served as head coach since 2016. Sitting volleyball is a variation of the original game but designed for athletes with adaptive needs. The sport is governed by [...]

Former United States Sports Academy teaching assistant and alumnus Dr. Jimmy Mattern was recently named the faculty athletic representative at Wilmington College in Ohio. Mattern is an assistant professor of sport management and the area coordinator for sport sciences at Wilmington. He completed his Doctor of Education degree while working on campus at the Academy in Daphne, Ala., in 2014. Mattern completed his Academy doctoral degree in 2018 at age 27, making him one of the youngest people ever to complete the institution’s doctoral program. At Wilmington, Mattern works with another Academy graduate, Dr. Alan Ledford, who is the program director and associate professor of sport management. “It is nice to have that Academy connection here with Dr. Ledford,” Mattern said. “It says something good about the Academy that it [...]

After months of research and trial and error, United States Sports Academy alumnus Dr. David Peterson created more than just a student-lead research project, but a tangible product that will benefit athletes both at Cedarville and elsewhere. Peterson, an assistant professor of kinesiology at Cedarville University in Ohio, and 2022 Cedarville alumna Kaitlyn Tyms collaborated on a research project to determine the ideal grip width for a revolutionary new barbell designed for athletes with shoulder-related injuries. The barbell is now available for use in Cedarville University’s athletic center and for purchase online. Peterson holds a Doctor of Education degree in sports management with an emphasis in health and fitness and was named the Academy’s 2015 Alumnus of the Year. He retired from the US Navy in 2018 after more than [...]

United States Sports Academy alumna LaDeane Hansten was recently hired as the director of athletics at Santa Barbara (Calif.) City College. Hansten holds an Academy Master of Sports Science degree in sports management, which she earned while working full time in the sport profession while raising a family at home. The Academy’s online courses are available and convenient for those working in the field. “Having the flexibility to pursue my masters online was paramount to my ability to apply for positions in higher education,” Hansten said. “We were living in a rural area and had two young boys who were seven and three when I started at USSA. I did most of my coursework from 9 p.m. to midnight and being home eliminated the need to travel an hour away [...]

United States Sports Academy alumnus Dr. Dexter Davis earned an Outstanding Teacher Award and a promotion within the faculty ranks at the University of Tennessee-Martin this summer. Davis holds a Doctor of Education degree in sports management from the Academy. In addition to his work at UT-Martin, Davis is also a member of the Academy’s non-resident faculty teaching sports management courses. Currently the sport business program coordinator, Davis was promoted to full professor status this summer. Davis was one of two UT-Martin faculty members recognized by the University of Tennessee Alumni Association with their annual Outstanding Teacher Award. Recipients of the Outstanding Teacher Award are nominated by students, faculty and alumni based on classroom performance, scholarship and service. The award has been presented since 1966 to faculty members from all [...]

A former Olympic and NCAA collegiate swimmer, Mark Chay has a very diverse resume in the world of international sport. The United States Sports Academy alumnus, Singapore Nominated Parliament Member, athlete, sports business owner, administrator, coach, and national committee chair recently added another prestigious title to his resume: president of the Singapore Swimming Association. Chay was elected unopposed to the position in June. He now leads a 10-person executive committee that oversees aquatic sports in the island nation in Southeast Asia. In addition to this new role, Chay also speaks on sports issues as a Nominated Member of Parliament in the country. Singapore’s NMP program began in 1990 as a way to ensure a wide representation of views in Parliament. The sports “fraternity” is one of seven functional groups – [...]

Ciara Taylor is an athletic trainer at Oak Mountain High School in Birmingham, Ala., and a former United States Sports Academy Student of the Month. Now, she’s making the most of her opportunity to work as a concussion manager, spotter, and athletic trainer for the United States Football League (USFL) in Birmingham. In that role, Taylor is responsible for spotting the obvious signs of concussion in players after big hits and collisions, and responsible for notifying on-field referees when a player needs to be checked out. “This is truly an amazing opportunity,” Taylor said. “The professional game is so fast paced and exciting and I have learned so much in just a few weeks working with a professional organization like the USFL. This is a great learning opportunity and I [...]