Position Utilization and Leadership of Senior Women Administrators in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
Presenter(s)
Mattie Schimenz
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to complete an investigation regarding SWA’s within the NSIC regarding their job position utilization and career confidence. Originally, women’s collegiate sports were administered by women. Once female and male sports were represented under a single association, significant female representation in leadership was lost. In 2022, female NCAA athletes made up for 44% of the athlete population (Statista, n.d.). However, 72.8% of the athletic directors governing these athletes are men (Zippia, n.d.). Following the dearth of female representation in athletics administration, it was clear that something needed to change. This study aimed to reveal whether the creation of the SWA is serving its original purpose.
The senior woman administrator position was created to give women a seat at the decision-making table in athletic departments. The inclusion of women with the SWA position was a start to shrinking the gender gap that exists in collegiate athletic administrations. Proper use and implementation of this role would highlight the importance of a female voice in athletic administration. Recommendations regarding SWA utilization would do nothing but benefit universities’ athletic departments. A female’s voice cannot be replicated by a man. A female’s experiences will always be different than their male counterparts. Therefore, it is crucial that the SWA position continues to be analyzed and improved so that it serves its original purpose: to promote meaningful representation of women in the leadership and management of college sports (National Collegiate Athletic Association, 2013).
This study was created with the overarching goal of understanding the degree to which Senior Woman Administrators in DII athletic departments are satisfied with their job positions and to gauge changes in their perceived level of confidence over their career. The survey and interview content were created with the intent to adequately answer the following research questions:
RQ 1: How do the experiences of female athletic directors in DII athletic departments impact their level of confidences as an SWA?
RQ 2: How do senior women administrators perceive their effectiveness in DII athletic departments?
This study centers around a Division II college athletic conference in the NCAA. The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) is home to 15 teams located in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Participants in this study must be the Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) at their respective university. 14 of the 15 teams in the NSIC have SWAs. The study had a participation rate of 85.7%, gathering information from 12 of the 14 SWAs.
This study’s research design will follow a mixed method’s approach. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected through Zoom interviews and a Qualtrics survey. Information collected from zoom interviews enriched the survey data and provided a clearer understanding of how the SWA role is being used within the NSIC. It also provided insight into female athletic directors’ perceived level of job confidence and use of the SWA designation in the NSIC. The implications of this study and recommended applications of the results will present themselves following the completion of the data collection process.
College
College of Education
Department
Leadership Education - Graduate Studies
First Advisor/Mentor
Joel Traver
Location
Oak Room E/F, Kryzsko Commons, Winona, Minnesota
Start Date
4-24-2025 2:00 PM
End Date
4-24-2025 2:20 PM
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Format of Presentation or Performance
In-Person
Position Utilization and Leadership of Senior Women Administrators in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
Oak Room E/F, Kryzsko Commons, Winona, Minnesota
The purpose of this study was to complete an investigation regarding SWA’s within the NSIC regarding their job position utilization and career confidence. Originally, women’s collegiate sports were administered by women. Once female and male sports were represented under a single association, significant female representation in leadership was lost. In 2022, female NCAA athletes made up for 44% of the athlete population (Statista, n.d.). However, 72.8% of the athletic directors governing these athletes are men (Zippia, n.d.). Following the dearth of female representation in athletics administration, it was clear that something needed to change. This study aimed to reveal whether the creation of the SWA is serving its original purpose.
The senior woman administrator position was created to give women a seat at the decision-making table in athletic departments. The inclusion of women with the SWA position was a start to shrinking the gender gap that exists in collegiate athletic administrations. Proper use and implementation of this role would highlight the importance of a female voice in athletic administration. Recommendations regarding SWA utilization would do nothing but benefit universities’ athletic departments. A female’s voice cannot be replicated by a man. A female’s experiences will always be different than their male counterparts. Therefore, it is crucial that the SWA position continues to be analyzed and improved so that it serves its original purpose: to promote meaningful representation of women in the leadership and management of college sports (National Collegiate Athletic Association, 2013).
This study was created with the overarching goal of understanding the degree to which Senior Woman Administrators in DII athletic departments are satisfied with their job positions and to gauge changes in their perceived level of confidence over their career. The survey and interview content were created with the intent to adequately answer the following research questions:
RQ 1: How do the experiences of female athletic directors in DII athletic departments impact their level of confidences as an SWA?
RQ 2: How do senior women administrators perceive their effectiveness in DII athletic departments?
This study centers around a Division II college athletic conference in the NCAA. The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) is home to 15 teams located in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Participants in this study must be the Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) at their respective university. 14 of the 15 teams in the NSIC have SWAs. The study had a participation rate of 85.7%, gathering information from 12 of the 14 SWAs.
This study’s research design will follow a mixed method’s approach. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected through Zoom interviews and a Qualtrics survey. Information collected from zoom interviews enriched the survey data and provided a clearer understanding of how the SWA role is being used within the NSIC. It also provided insight into female athletic directors’ perceived level of job confidence and use of the SWA designation in the NSIC. The implications of this study and recommended applications of the results will present themselves following the completion of the data collection process.
