NJCAA announces 2024-25 Committee Chairs and Committee Assignments

Charlotte, NC — The NJCAA has announced the 2024-25 Committee Chairs for the 46 committees. Each chair serves as a direct contact and liaison for the committee and the NJCAA National Office staff, while also heading their committee all year.

With the academic year approaching, chairs are preparing to lead weekly calls, conduct national rankings, and assist with postseason at-large and seeding selections, and All-America selections. In addition to these roles, chairs complete committee-related assignments and annual NJCAA Convention tasks. In some cases, chairs will attend their respective national championship(s). 

On the women's side, Katie Willingham, Columbia State (TN) Athletic Director, will serve as a first-time chair of the NJCAA Division I Softball Committee. Shawn Trochim, McLennan (TX) Athletic Director and Region 5 Women's Director will serve beside Willingham as first-time vice chair. Chris Robinson, former Jones (MS) head softball coach and current Athletic Director is a first-time committee chair of the NJCAA Division II Softball Committee. Robinson will be assisted by Michelle Ivey, Region 22 Women's Director, who will serve as first-time vice chair for Division II. Christine Paciero, Oakton College (IL) Athletic Director, is a first-time committee chair of the NJCAA Division II Women's Soccer Committee. Paciero will be supported by Region 6 Women's Director, Tony Tompkins, who will serve as vice chair. Lastly, North Platte (NE) Head Men's Basketball Coach, Kevin O'Connor, will serve as first-time chair of the newly established NJCAA Division II Women's Golf Committee. BJ McGinn, Director of Athletics at Des Moines Area (IA) will serve alongside O'Connor as vice chair.

First-time committee chairs on the men's side include Ron Riggle, NJCAA Board of Regents member, who will serve as chair of the NJCAA Division II Baseball Committee. Riggle will be assisted by Nate Forsyth, Region 11 Men's Assistant Director, who will serve as first-time vice chair. Region 21 Men's Director and Director of Athletics at Northern Essex (MA), Dan Blair, will serve as chair of the NJCAA Division III Baseball Committee. Brian Rowan, Executive Director for Athletics at Rowan College (NJ), will serve alongside Blair as vice chair. Josh Gooch, Hutchinson (KS) Athletic Director, is a first-time committee chair of the NJCAA Division I Men's Golf Committee. NJCAA Board of Regents member Deron Clark will assist Gooch as vice chair.

Additional new chairs for the 2024-25 academic year include Thom McDonald, ICCAC Commissioner who will chair the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee, Mike Belfiore, Westchester (NY) Director of Athletics to chair NJCAA Division III Men's Soccer Committee, and Lind Hartsell, Region 10 Commissioner and Men's Director will serve as chair of the NJCAA Division III Football Committee. McDonald will be assisted by Kevin O'Connor, Dan Blair will serve alongside Belfiore, and Hartsell will be supported by Steve Mullen, Erie (NY) Athletic Director, serving as vice chair.

For the joint committees, Men's and Women's Wrestling, Men's and Women's Tennis, and Men's and Women's Division III Golf are now joint committees. Marci Henry, Northeastern Athletic Director (CO) will chair the NJCAA Wrestling committee and will be assisted by Thom McDonald, ICCAC Commissioner and NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee chair. Tim Drain, NJCAA Board of Regents member will serve as chair of the NJCAA Tennis Committee with Brian Rowan serving as vice chair. Tommy Stewart, Holyoke (MA) Director of Athletics will serve as chair of the NJCAA Division III Golf Committee with Rosalie Hayenga serving as vice chair. 

Darin Monroe, Rock Valley (IL) Athletic Director and Head Softball Coach, will chair the Sports Governance Committee with Jake Ripple as vice chair and Mike Saddler, KJCCC Commissioner will chair the newly created Re-Alignment Committee that will oversee current regional structure with Marci Henry serving as vice chair.  

For a full list of all committees, visit NJCAA Governance Structure and see all committee chairs below: