UWSP names Duckworth athletic director

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) named Brad
Duckworth as its new director of athletics Thursday, June 2.
A native of Necedah, Duckworth will begin at UWSP July 11.
He served as the athletics director and women’s basketball
head coach at NCAA Division III Alverno College in Milwaukee since 2007, and
also has been the golf coach at the school the last three
years.
In announcing the hire, UWSP chancellor Bernie L. Patterson
said Duckworth brings with him a strong sense of purpose and Pointer pride.
“He shares our commitment to combining academic excellence
with athletic excellence,” said Patterson.
“My family and I are honored to become part of the
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point family,” said Duckworth.
Duckworth, 40, succeeds Daron Montgomery, who was the
director of athletics at UWSP from 2011 until he was named the director of
athletics at NCAA Division II Saint Anselm College (N.H.) December 21.
Former UWSP athletics director Frank O’Brien has served as
the interim director of athletics for the Pointers since Montgomery’s departure.
In his new role, Duckworth’s top priority is to provide an
environment that fosters student-athlete success.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to lead side-by-side with
the coaches and staff at one of the best NCAA Division III athletic programs in
the country,” said Duckworth. “I’ll work hard to assist our coaches in
continuing to develop championship student-athletes, in both life and sport.”
Duckworth received his bachelor’s degree in sports
management and a master’s degree in sports administration from UW-La Crosse. He
also received a master’s degree in business administration from Alverno.
UWSP initially announced three finalists for the director of
athletics position April 21, Steve Schofield, deputy director of athletics for
external operations at NCAA Division 1 Northern Iowa University; Chad Markuson,
deputy director of athletics at NCAA Division II Minnesota State
University-Moorhead; and Nick Davidson, director of athletics at NAIA Keiser
University (Fla.).
Two additional finalists were announced May 6, Duckworth and
Mike Waddell, senior associate director of athletics for external relations at
the NCAA Division 1 University of Illinois.
Duckworth visited the UWSP campus for a community open forum
May 16.
Prior to Alverno, Duckworth spent one year at UW-La Crosse
as an assistant coach for the women’s basketball team, and then was at the NCAA
Division III State University of New York-New Paltz from 2002 to 2006. There,
he served as the women’s basketball head coach, the head coach of the softball
team and as an academic coordinator for the athletic department.
Duckworth currently chairs the NCAA National Women’s
Basketball Rules Committee and is the NCAA Division III Women’s Golf Central
Region chair.
He works with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association
(WBCA) Playing Rules Committee, several Northern Athletics Collegiate
Conference (NACC) committees and various Alverno College
committees. He also has experience in crisis response and enrollment planning.