COLUMBUS, Ohio – With the help of a NCAA Division II Strategic Alliance Matching Grant, Ohio Dominican University has developed a new position for the athletic department as announced on Wednesday (July 12).
Brooke Hanson '13 has been appointed the inaugural Athletic Academic Support Coordinator for the Panthers. She will be assisting student-athletes with degree completion by outlining appropriate educational plans, clarifying academic and long-term goals, improving decision-making skills, evaluating degree progression, and discovering additional resources designed to enhance their collegiate experience.
"I would like to thank President Connie Gallaher, Jeff Blair, Sandy Rowley, Adam Hirschfeld and the entire hiring committee for choosing me to fill the role of Athletic Academic Support Coordinator," said Hanson. "I am excited to help our student-athletes reach their full academic potential in the classroom while balancing the challenges of being a student-athlete as well as prepare them for life after graduation."
Hanson will join the athletic administration staff after spending the last two years as an Admissions Counselor here at Ohio Dominican. She has been working with potential students across Franklin County, Ohio and the Southeastern part of the United States.
"We were excited to receive the Strategic Alliance Matching Grant from the NCAA," Ohio Dominican Athletic Director Jeff Blair said. "This is a great opportunity for our department to provide services to our student-athletes in the academic realm. We are glad to welcome Brooke into the athletic department again and have her helping our student-athletes achieve their academic goals and work towards graduation."
Before returning to her alma mater for a third time, Hanson was the head softball coach at Dublin Jerome High School for one year (2020-2021) and was the final softball head coach at Urbana University for two years (2018-2020). From 2015 to 2018, Hanson came back to Ohio Dominican softball dugout as an assistant coach.
Following her time as an undergrad at ODU, she was a graduate assistant softball coach at Defiance College for two years (2013-2015).
Hanson (previously McCartney), a four-year athlete for ODU appeared in over 200 games, starting 199 times. Hanson was a team captain in the 2012-13 season and hit .261 for her career in over 600 at-bats. She received ODU's first GLIAC Softball Player of the Week honors in school history during her sophomore season.
During her time as a student-athlete at ODU, Hanson was a 2011 NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete, a GLIAC All-Academic Team selection, and a member of the 2013 GLIAC Academic All-Excellence Team. Hanson also served on the ODU Sport Management Society as the groups Vice President and was a key member in the selection process for scholarships awarded to high school students.
Hanson received her Bachelor of Science in Sport Management with a minor in Business Administration from ODU in 2013. She then received her Masters of Arts in Education with a Sport Coaching Concentration from Defiance in the spring of 2015.
The Division II Strategic Alliance Matching Grant is designed to provide financial assistance to Division II conferences and member institutions committed to enhancing ethnic minority and gender representation in mid-to senior-level intercollegiate athletics administrative positions. The grant provides funding to support the salary and benefits of the hired employee for the first three years of a five-year position. The NCAA also provides funding at the beginning of the first three years to support professional development opportunities and technology expenses.
