Staff Directory
- Title:
- Deputy Director of Athletics, Academic Support
- Email:
- Phone:
- 205-348-3624
Mike Ward returned to Alabama in April of 2022 and currently serves as the Deputy Director of Athletics, Compliance and Academic Support. Ward brings over 20 years of experience as a college athletics administrator with significant focus on student-athlete success, executive leadership, sport administration and day-to-day departmental oversight. Â
In addition to leading the academic and compliance departments, Ward handles sport administrative duties for soccer, track and field and cross country.
Prior to coming back to Tuscaloosa, Ward most recently served as Deputy Athletic Director at Elon University, a top-100 academic institution competing at the NCAA Division I and FCS-level in the Colonial Athletic Association. At Elon, Ward managed all external and revenue-generating operations, including fundraising, communications, marketing, ticketing, licensing and multimedia partnership with Learfield-IMG College (Learfield), driving record revenue and philanthropy. Ward also managed Elon's student-athlete health and performance units and a number of sports. While at Elon, Ward served in key institutional roles, including helping write the institution's strategic plan for the 2020s, Boldly Elon; serving on the institution's Covid-19 and pandemic response teams (Ready and Resilient and Healthy Elon); and more than 10 additional campus-wide academic committees.
In five years at Elon, Ward lead increases in revenue of more than 40 percent in the annual fund, 279 percent in the athletics fundraising gala and 619 percent in the annual day of giving. Ward helped negotiate a new apparel partnership with Under Armour and BSN (63 percent growth in product allotment); a new medical agreement with Duke Health; a new ticket provider agreement with Audience View; and new electronic medical records system and billing agreement with Vivature Health. Other key projects included the opening of Schar Center, the university's state-of-the-art basketball arena and practice center; facility enhancements for numerous sports; the addition of nutrition stations to both weight rooms; and the creation of the department's first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee. Â
Prior to Elon, Ward served as the Senior Associate AD for Sport Programs and Administration at the University of Tennessee. As a member of the athletics department executive staff at Tennessee for the six years, he developed and implemented strategic initiatives and operations across the entire department. As a member of Tennessee's executive team, Ward was involved in both internal and external operations, revenue generation, fundraising initiatives and enhancements to the student-athlete experience. External initiatives included the launch of the "Campaign for Comprehensive Excellence," which raised more than $160 million over three years to impact the student-athlete experience and facilities improvements, a rebranding initiative and Tennessee's department-wide transition to Nike.
Internally, Ward oversaw most facets of the student-athlete experience, including sport program administration, strength and conditioning, sports medicine, sports psychology, sports science, nutrition, student conduct, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the institution's Lifeskills program. Ward helped hire several head coaches during his tenure, including in football, men's basketball, women's basketball, women's soccer and track and field. Ward also served as the athletic department's legal liaison to the General Counsel and served on numerous campus committees. Academically, Tennessee achieved at the highest level in its history, with record marks in both APR and GSR.
During Ward's first tenure at the Capstone, from 2007 through 2011, he served as the Associate Athletics Director for Compliance and Administration. Ward served as a member of the department's executive staff, developing and implementing operating principles and procedures in all areas. Additionally, Ward served as an advisor to Alabama's President, General Counsel, Director of Athletics and Executive Director of Athletics regarding compliance, risk management and other athletics projects. Â
Before his time at Alabama, Ward was the Director of Compliance at the University of Oklahoma and also spent time at the NCAA as the Assistant Director of Enforcement.
Ward began his career in athletics close to his current office, serving as a graduate assistant in Bryant Hall, where he supported student-athletes' academic work, assisting with progress toward degree and career success.
A graduate of Vestavia Hills High School in Birmingham, Ala., Ward graduated cum laude from Alabama in 1999, earning a Bachelor of Science in biology and psychology. Ward earned a Juris Doctor from The University of Alabama School of Law in 2002. He is married to his wife, Beth, and the couple has two children, a son, Xander, and a daughter, Avalyn.
