This bio now serves as a historical reference. Bridget Lyons, Ph.D, served as director of intercollegiate athletics at Shenandoah from January - May 2024.
Bridget Lyons, Ph.D, was named as the sixth full-time director of intercollegiate athletics in November, 2017 and began her position in January, 2018. She is the first woman to hold the AD position at Shenandoah.
In her short time at Shenandoah, the Hornets have won five ODAC titles including a best-ever two titles in 2018-19. In that year, the department achieved a new first as all 21 teams posted at least a 3.0 team GPA. The women's basketball team, which won its first-ever ODAC title in 2019, led the nation in team GPA in its title winning season.
Lyons has also overseen the expansion of the department by adding an assistant athletic director for marketing and promotions, a creative content director, full-time assistants in softball, women's soccer, and men's wrestling, and an assistant athletic trainer. The first two positions as well as two of the assistant coaching positions, were added through NCAA matching grants.
In September, 2019, Lyons spearheaded the addition of men's wrestling as the department's 22nd intercollegiate offering.
In August, 2020, Lyons was honored for staff excellence with a James R. and Mary B. Wilkins Award for her work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Lyons came to Shenandoah after serving for 11 years as the senior associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator (SWA) at Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida.
Barry, an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Sunshine State Conference (SSC), won 12 NCAA championships during Lyons' tenure at the school. The university was also honored with the NCAA Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence multiple times during Lyons' tenure.
As associate athletic director, Lyons was responsible for the internal operations of the department and had direct supervision of men's and women's basketball, men's and women's golf, women's rowing, women's soccer, softball and volleyball.
Lyons represented the SSC on the Division II Management Council and was a member of the Division II Planning and Finance Committee.
Her NCAA experience also includes a time as chair of the Division II Committee on Infractions and on the men's soccer, men's golf, rowing, and women's tennis regional committees.
Prior to her time at Barry, Lyons was employed at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) for 10 years. After serving as director of student-athlete advising for seven years, she was promoted to assistant athletic director for student services in May of 2003.
Her VCU duties included serving as SWA and overseeing the compliance office, life skills program and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Lyons has also worked in academic advising and student support at both Providence College and the University of New Hampshire.
Her coaching experience includes three years as an assistant field hockey coach at VCU, where she earned her Ph.D in education.
As Shenandoah University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, she oversees a department with 22 intercollegiate sports, nearly 600 student-athletes and 75 full- and part-time coaches and staff members.
Lyons is part of the President's staff at SU and reports directly to President Tracy Fitzsimmons.
A 1983 St. Michael's (Vermont) graduate, the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, native played field hockey, lacrosse and basketball as an undergraduate student-athlete.
