The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- November 22, 1999

Five members to begin Management Council terms in January

Five new members have been elected to the Division II Management Council.

The new members, whose terms will begin upon conclusion of the 2000 NCAA Convention in January, are Jean Bell Chandler, senior woman administrator at Clark Atlanta University, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference; Mary Gardner, senior woman administrator at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference; Pam Gill-Fisher, senior woman administrator at the University of California, Davis, California Collegiate Athletic Conference; J. Phillip Roach, director of athletics at Rollins College, Sunshine State Conference; and Katy Wilson, director of athletics, Moorhead State University, Northern Sun Conference.

They will replace (respectively) the following members whose terms will expire in January: Wil Shaw, Morehouse College; Marjorie Trout, Millersville University of Pennsylvania; Carol Dunn, California State University, Los Angeles; G. Jean Cerra, Barry University; and Patricia Merrier, University of Minnesota, Duluth.

Chandler

Chandler, associate professor of psychology, has been on the Clark Atlanta faculty since 1969. She began her career in athletics in 1988 when she was appointed to the university's Committee on Athletics. She chaired that committee from 1989-91.

She was the institution's faculty athletics representative from 1988-92 prior to her appointment as assistant director of athletics in 1994. Chandler currently serves as associate director of athletics and compliance officer.

Chandler earned her bachelor's degree at Fort Valley State College. She has a master's degree from the University of Georgia and a doctorate from Clark Atlanta.

Gardner

Gardner has served in a variety of roles since joining the Bloomsburg faculty in 1974.

She first taught in the university's health and physical education department and was the head field hockey and women's swimming coach. She briefly served as men's swimming coach and has been the institution's director of equal opportunity in sport since 1985. She also served as associate director of athletics from 1986-88.

In 1988, Gardner was appointed director of athletics. She now has oversight of 18 varsity sports programs, facilities, sports medicine and summer camps.

She has chaired the Division II Membership Committee since 1997 and has served as a member of the NCAA Swimming and Diving Committee and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Executive Committee.

She serves as both athletics director and senior woman administrator at Bloomsburg and was elected to the Management Council as an SWA.

Gill-Fisher

Gill-Fisher, senior woman administrator and associate athletics director at UC Davis, has distinguished herself at the university as a player, coach, faculty member and administrator.

Gill-Fisher is responsible for compliance, student services and sports medicine programs for UC Davis, which twice has won the Sears Directors' Cup.

In 1994, she was appointed to the NCAA Academic Requirements Committee. In addition, she is president of the UC Davis Academic Federation, a group that represents a large percentage of the faculty members on campus.

Gill-Fisher has coached basketball, volleyball and, most recently, tennis at UC Davis. She is the only UC Davis athlete enshrined in the school's athletic hall of fame as a five-sport athlete.

Roach

In his eighth year as director of athletics at Rollins, Roach has been instrumental in maintaining the long tradition of athletic excellence at the college.

During his tenure, Rollins has claimed a national championship in women's golf and sent teams to national championships in nine sports. Roach also has been instrumental in the development of the Harold and Ted Alfond Sports Complex.

This year, Roach was recognized as one of four NACDA Regional Athletic Directors of the Year for Division II and was a finalist for the national Athletic Director of the Year award.

Before accepting joining Rollins in 1992, Roach spent three years as athletics director at Guilford College.

He previously spent 20 years as the men's basketball coach at Marietta College.

Roach currently is a member of the NCAA Division II Nominating Committee and recently completed his tenure as president of the Division II Athletic Directors Association. He also has chaired the officials and awards committee of the Sunshine State Conference.

Wilson

Wilson is completing her seventh season in charge of the combined men and women's athletic department at Moorhead State University.

She was installed as first athletics director to oversee the entire program after serving two years as the women's athletics director and several years as an assistant athletic director.

As athletics director, Wilson has tripled the institution's scholarship base, facilitated a smooth transition from NAIA to NCAA affiliation and overseen major renovations of facilities.

She has been elected third vice-president of of the Division II Athletic Directors Association and currently is serving on the NCAA Division II Committee on Infractions.

In eight seasons as softball coach, she posted an overall winning record and made two trips to the NAIA national championship.

Wilson received her undergraduate degree from Salem College and her master's and doctorate from West Virginia University.