WINCHESTER, Va. – After six and a half years at the helm of Shenandoah University's athletic department, Bridget Lyons, Ph.D. shared on Friday that she was resigning her post as director of athletics. 

Dr. Lyons, who was hired in November 2017 and officially took over as SU's athletic director in January 2018, led Shenandoah Athletics through a period that included expansion of the university's intercollegiate athletics programs and growth of the student-athlete population to over 500 students.

During her tenure, Shenandoah won five ODAC Championships and had eight teams represent the university on the national stage. SU added men's wrestling as its 22nd sport during the 2020-21 season, and Lyons helped facilitate the construction of Aikens Stadium – home of SU's women's lacrosse and field hockey programs – and oversaw the renovations to Kevin Anderson Field at Bridgeforth Stadium and Rotary Field, the home facilities of Shenandoah's baseball and softball programs, respectively. 

Brian Wigley, Ph.D., department chair of SU's sport management program and serves on the NCAA Management Council, will serve as interim director of athletics, Dr. Fitzsimmons announced. Dr. Wigley, who has been a Shenandoah University faculty member since 2002, has served as a faculty athletics representative since 2010 and has twice served as interim athletic director twice in 2012 and 2017.

"I would like to thank Dr. Lyons for her unwavering commitment to our intercollegiate athletics programs and to our student-athletes. She has positively impacted the university, and we thank her for her leadership and wish her the best in her future endeavors," Fitzsimmons said. "I'm deeply grateful to Dr. Wigley for once again stepping in to assist in providing a smooth and seamless transition as we begin the search for the next leader of Shenandoah University Athletics."

Shenandoah University will immediately begin a search for its new director of athletics, with primary consideration to be given to internal candidates.

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