Hobart and William Smith Colleges

New Leadership for Athletics

by Ken DeBolt

Deb Steward has been named the Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation at Hobart and William Smith. Previously the Director of William Smith Athletics, in her expanded role Steward now oversees all 23 intercollegiate Hobart and William Smith sports as well as the Colleges' recreation, intramural, fitness, outdoor recreation and physical education programs.

An award-winning administrator, Steward came to the Colleges in 2005 to serve as the Director of William Smith Athletics. Over the past 15 years, she has managed all aspects of the Herons' intercollegiate athletics program and supervised the HWS Sport and Recreation Center, the Outdoor Recreation Adventure Program, the waterfront, physical education classes and wellness programs. Steward's leadership earned her the 2014 ECAC Division III Female Administrator of the Year Award and the 2017 Women Leaders in College Sports Division III Administrator of the Year Award.

"Deb is an exceptional leader and one of the top athletic administrators in the country," says President Joyce P. Jacobsen. "As we considered how best to provide all students with an outstanding and cohesive athletics and wellness experience, we knew we needed someone with a record of accomplishment in managing and leading people and teams, and someone with success in resource development including fundraising, marketing and community building. Deb is that person."

During her tenure in Geneva, Steward has hired 13 new head coaches, broken Heron Society records for total membership and total dollars raised, and coordinated four highly successful Heron Hall of Honor ceremonies, all while taking a lead role in The Fund for Athletics, a part of Campaign for the Colleges which improved athletic and wellness facilities. She added women's ice hockey as the department's 12th varsity sport in 2014.

Under her supervision, Heron teams have captured 44 conference championships, received dozens of postseason tournament bids, and secured the 2013 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer National Championship. Steward has served as the tournament director for three NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championships and a NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship. She has also served on several NCAA Championship committees including women's ice hockey, golf and softball.

Previously an assistant athletic director at Ithaca College, Steward earned a master's in education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and her bachelor's in mathematics education from Winona State (Minn.) University.

Rounding out the new leadership model, Brian Miller, who has served as Interim Director of Hobart Athletics for the past two years, has been named the Associate Director for Athletics and Recreation and Director of Athletic Compliance. Sally Scatton P'02, P'06, who has served as the Assistant Director of William Smith Athletics for 13 years and the Head Field Hockey Coach for 32 years, has been named the Associate Director for Athletics and Recreation and Senior Woman Administrator, an NCAA designated leadership position, in addition to continuing as Head Field Hockey Coach.

"This new management construct with one director of athletics will lead to streamlined processes for athletics and recreation while still maintaining the unique identities of the Statesmen and Herons," says Vice President for Campus Life Robb Flowers. "Deb, Brian and Sally share a commitment to ensuring that student-athletes have the resources and opportunities to excel, both athletically and academically."

"I'm honored at the trust that the Colleges have placed in me to lead the Hobart Statesmen and the William Smith Herons," says Steward. "I look forward to working with Brian and Sally in this leadership role as we advocate for our students and staff. We are committed to creating efficiencies, with policies and procedures and garnering additional support so that all Herons and Statesmen can pursue their academic, athletic and wellness goals."

Brian Miller
For more than a decade, Miller has overseen the NCAA compliance program for all 23 intercollegiate programs at Hobart and William Smith, spending the past two years as the Interim Director of Hobart Athletics. A member of the National Association for Athletic Compliance, he educates coaches, staff, student-athletes, alums and boosters on NCAA, conference and institutional rules and regulations. Miller came to the Colleges with 10 years of experience as an administrator and coach at D'Youville College and as a coach at Canisius College, where he earned a master's in sports administration. Miller received his bachelor's in mass communication from St. Bonaventure University.

Sally Scatton P'02, P'06
Scatton has led the William Smith field hockey program since 1988, earning three national championships, 11 conference championships and 468 career victories. She has been named the national coach of the year three times, regional coach of the year six times and conference coach of the year nine times, while earning induction into three halls of fame. Since 2007, she has served as the assistant director of William Smith athletics. An accomplished coach of not only field hockey, but lacrosse, basketball and swimming as well, Scatton has guided teams at Cornell University and Wells College. She earned a master's in education from SUNY-Cortland, and is a magna cum laude graduate of Ithaca College.