ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Rochester Institute of Technology has named Albany State (Ga.) Associate Athletics Director Jacqueline Nicholson its next Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.
 
Set to become only the fifth athletic director in program history, Nicholson succeeds the nation's longest-tenured AD, Lou Spiotti Jr., who recently announced his retirement following 47 years of service at RIT, including the last 41 running the athletic department. 
 
"We are excited to welcome Jackie to the RIT Tiger family. The university is moving forward on many major initiatives and athletics is a key part of our agenda," said RIT President David Munson. "RIT Athletics, with all of its tradition and history, has a very bright future with Jackie at the helm."
 
Nicholson spent the last four years as Associate Athletics Director for Academics, Compliance and Student-Athlete Development at Albany State, including a six-month stint as interim Director of Athletics in 2019 with the NCAA Division II Rams. Also serving as the department's Senior Women's Administrator, her primary responsibilities included coordination of academic advisement, compliance and student-athlete support services, while providing day-to-day oversight and strategic leadership for the department's 13 teams.
 
"RIT is a university that breathes excellence and I am delighted to join the RIT community as the next Executive Director of Athletics," said Nicholson. "I am eager to work collaboratively with the department's talented team of coaches and administrators to provide a system of support that ensures an exceptional, well-rounded intercollegiate experience for the student-athletes which also engages the Rochester community."
 
Nicholson has a strong background in student-athlete welfare and support services, including retention, gender equity and Title IX matters. She was responsible for implementing comprehensive department academic standards which yielded an overall GPA increase for three-straight years, and also coordinated NCAA compliance monitoring, founding a compliance committee comprised of multiple constituents across campus. Nicholson also implemented annual community service initiatives which led to a 75-percent increase in student-athlete engagement in its first year alone.
 
"This is an exciting day for RIT Athletics. Our search for an Executive Director for Intercollegiate Athletics resulted in conversations with a number of outstanding candidates, which speaks well of RIT's reputation as a leader in college sports at the national level," said RIT Senior Vice President of Student Affairs Sandy Johnson. "Jackie stood out due to her passion for intercollegiate athletes, her reputation as a leader of integrity, her ability to connect with student athletes, faculty, staff, alumni and donors, and for her knowledge and understanding of the changing landscape of collegiate sports. RIT will be well-positioned, under Jackie's leadership, to continue to make progress on our competitive success and community building for all of our teams."
 
Prior to her time at Albany State, Nicholson spent a year and a half as Assistant Athletics Director for Academics at the University of Texas-San Antonio, providing oversight of the academic support services for the 17-team NCAA Division I department, while serving as academic advisor for the men's basketball and track & field programs. She spent the previous seven years at Norfolk State (Va.), including five as Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Academic Services, coordinating the Student-Athlete Academic Support Office, managing three full-time academic coordinators, two interns and a graduate assistant in the NCAA Division I department.
 
"Jackie is positioned to lead RIT athletics to sustained academic and competitive success," said former Albany State Director of Athletics Sherie Cornish Gordon, who currently serves as Chief of Staff at Humboldt State (Calif.). "She is an energetic, driven and passionate leader focused on providing a holistic student-athlete experience. Jackie is a relationship builder, collaborator and a strategic partner with coaches in building successful programs."
 
Nicholson is a member of the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A), currently serving the Board of Directors as Second Vice President, and is an advisory board member for the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA). Nicholson is also a member of Women Leaders in College Sports as well as the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). She recently finished a three-year turn as a member of the NCAA Division II Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field national committee as well as two years in the NCAA Division II Athletic Directors Association mentoring program.
 
Continued Nicholson, "I would like to extend a special thank you to Lou Spiotti for his dedication and service to the RIT family over the last 47 years. Both my daughter, Kylie, and I are looking forward to serving RIT, its student-athletes, coaches and athletics staff for many years."
 
Born in Lubbock, Texas, Nicholson grew up in Clayton, N.J. where she was a high school state champion hurdler in track & field and also played field hockey. She went on to a standout running career at Virginia Tech, graduating in 2005 with a degree in human development before adding a Master of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in 2007. Nicholson began her professional career as an Academic Coordinator at her alma mater for two years.
 
Nicholson's first day at RIT is scheduled for July 1st.