ALBANY, Ga. – Albany State University Athletics was recently one of six institutions to receive the NCAA Division II Strategic Alliance Matching Grant. The grant funds a full-time, mid- to senior-level athletics administration position for a five year period from 2018-2023.

ASU's receipt of the grant led to the creation of an athletics business manager position.

The business manager will serve as the liaison between the offices of Accounting Services, Budgets and Contracts, Procurement and Internal Audits.  The day-to-day duties include ensuring the Department of Athletics complies with state, conference and NCAA regulations for all business transactions while also managing the athletic department budget, ticket operations, as well as team and staff travel.
 

Since 2013, NCAA Division II has awarded 36 Strategic Alliance Matching Grants, approved by the NCAA Division II Presidents Council. The grant program provides "financial assistance to Division II conferences and member institutions committed to enhancing ethnic minority and gender representation in in mid- to senior-level intercollegiate athletics administrative positions," according to the program's mission statement.
 

The grant states the positions created must include "significant responsibilities in a variety of the following areas: strategic planning; budget management; fundraising; campus and NCAA compliance; sport oversight; student-athlete welfare issues and initiative; academics; diversity and inclusion initiatives; and staff oversight/management."

Other recipients of the 2018 grants are Ashland University, Fort Hays State University, Georgian Court University, Lenoir-Rhyne University and Mercyhurst University.