Adrianne Swinney Named Chief Operating Officer for UConn Athletics

STORRS, Conn. - Adrianne Swinney, who spent the last three years as the Deputy Athletics Director at UNC Wilmington, has been named Chief Operating Officer at UConn, as announced by Athletic Director David Benedict on Monday, July 30. Swinney's position will carry the designation of Senior Woman Administrator for the department.

Swinney will oversee several aspects of the department, including Equipment Services, Sports Medicine, Sports Performance, Athletic Training, and will serve as the Department Liaison for Admissions, Title IX & Gender Equity and OIE/Community Standards.

"I'd like to extend my sincerest gratitude to David Benedict and President Susan Herbst for this opportunity," said Swinney. "I count it both a privilege and an honor to become a member of the UConn family and community, joining a nationally distinguished institution synonymous with excellence in every way. Within the DNA and fabric of UConn Athletics lies a rich history and great heritage. Within David's extraordinary vision for UConn Athletics lies a great future steeped and rooted in Husky pride, championships, and excellence.

"I'm excited to serve under David's leadership together with the tremendous staff and coaches supporting the vision to empower and foster even greater institutional prominence while cultivating and preparing our greatest gifts, our student-athletes. It's a great day to be a Husky!"

Swinney joined the UNCW Athletics Department in April of 2014 as Senior Associate Athletics Director/SWA and was elevated to Deputy Athletics Director/SWA on April 1, 2015.

As the Deputy Athletics Director, she was responsible for day-to-day operations of the department with a focus on strategic planning, direction, and conduct of the program.

Swinney provided oversight for compliance, strength and conditioning, sports medicine, and served as dotted line administrator for academics. She served as a primary administrator for 16 of the 19 Seahawk programs, with her most recent assignments including women's basketball, men's soccer, volleyball, beach volleyball and baseball. She was also a principal liaison to the Faculty Athletics Council, Dean of Students Office, Office of Legal Counsel, Office of Title IX and Clery Compliance and various other areas on-campus.

Swinney came to UNCW from Jackson State University where she served as the Associate Athletics Director/SWA (2010-14) also helping to run the day-to-day operations of the department. Her responsibilities included oversight for academics, sports medicine, NCAA student-athlete affairs programming, and administrative support staff. In addition to serving as primary administrator for seven different sport programs during her tenure, she served as an events and game management administrator for football and the men's and women's basketball programs.

Swinney's unique career path, which started as a certified athletic trainer, also includes a two-year stint at Jackson State University as the Assistant Athletic Trainer, as well as five years of service at Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas, as the Director of Sports Medicine. During her five-year tenure at Paul Quinn College, Swinney blossomed in other areas of the field serving as the Head Women's Basketball Coach, the Associate Director of Institutional Programs (Athletics) and the Interim Director of Institutional Programs (Athletics).

Despite a variety of professional experiences, Swinney's commitment to excellence, to a quality student-athlete experience, and to organizational transformation and growth has remained a constant focal point of her work. It is at the center and heart of all she does and is motivation for her service at the institutional, conference, and national levels as well as within her local community.

While at UNCW, she served on nine committees including the Chancellor's Leadership Council and the Campus Climate Workgroup. She was also actively involved on several committees in the Colonial Athletic Association. Most notably she served as Chair of the Scheduling and Program Standards Committee, as a member of the Women's Basketball Games Committee, and the Student-Athlete Wellness and Sports Performance Committee. This summer she was tabbed to join the Women's Basketball Enhancement Committee. During her time in the SWAC, Swinney was voted the Chair of the Senior Woman Administrator group and was a member of several conference committees.

Swinney currently serves as the Chair of the Women Leaders in College Sports Professional Development and Continuing Education Committee.

She is a proud alumnus of Mississippi State University where she earned her bachelor's degree in education in 2000. She earned a master's degree in business management from Dallas Baptist University in 2009 and is currently pursuing her doctoral degree from Jackson State University. She is also a graduate of the NCAA Leadership Institute (2012), Women Leaders Institute for Administrative Advancement (2013), Leadership Enhancement Institute (2016), and Executive Institute (2017) and has also participated in the NCAA Achieving Communication Success Workshop (2017). Swinney has served as a panelist for the NCAA Leadership Institute, its Alumni Professional Development workshops, for NACDA-CABMA Convention, as a faculty member for Women Leaders IAA (East/West), and most recently served as a faculty member for Women Leaders LEI this summer.

What They're Saying About Adrianne Swinney

"Adrianne is a highly competent, effective administrator who cares and operates with the highest degree of integrity. Her leadership as the Deputy AD/SWA at UNCW proved invaluable for me, my staff, and our student-athletes. Her accessibility, guidance, and support of our program were instrumental. Adrianne is a visionary leader and her ability to motivate, inspire, and empower others is among the best I've seen. I have no doubt that she will do a great job at UConn."
- Kevin Keatts, North Carolina State Head Men's Basketball Coach

"Adrianne Swinney is a top level intercollegiate administrator and a true difference maker. There is no doubt that the coaches, student-athletes and administrators at UConn will benefit from her tenacity, attention to detail and enthusiasm."
- Joseph D'Antonio Commissioner of the Colonial Athletic Association

"Adrianne is the best SWA in America. Her genuine concern for student-athlete well-being is surpassed only by her being a tremendous human being."
- Jimmy Bass, UNCW Director of Athletics

"In short, Adrianne is a rock star. She leads with a calm, yet extremely powerful presence and has demonstrated her ability to make a positive impact at each institution in her professional journey. She will undoubtedly step into the COO role at UCONN and make an immediate impact on the department operations, the culture, and the student-athlete experience."
- Patti Phillips, CEO, Women Leaders in College Sports

"Adrianne is a proven administrator that will impact the UConn student-athletes, administration and coaches with her values-first based leadership style. She knows how to lead in line with the culture of her fellow leaders on campus and will work to continue to build on the rich tradition of success and graduating athletes that is synonymous with UConn Athletics."
- Curtis Hollomon, Director of Leadership Development at the NCAA

University of Connecticut Athletics

Adrianne Swinney Named Chief Operating Officer for UConn Athletics

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