OMAHA, Neb. – Women’s participation in sports continues to grow, but leadership roles in coaching, management and administration remain overwhelmingly male-dominated. College of Saint Mary (CSM) is working to prepare more women for careers in the sports industry with the new Center for Women in Sports Leadership.
“Women’s athletics is growing, but we recognize that there’s still a lack of leadership for women,” said President Heather Smith. “We knew we were uniquely positioned to be able to fill that gap.”
According to the Nebraska Women’s Athletic Leadership Alliance (NWALA), less than 30% of high school coaches in Nebraska are women, less than 13% of high school athletic directors in Nebraska are women and 26% of NCAA athletic directors are women.
“The opportunities are there. We just don’t have the capacity to fill those spots,” said Athletics Director Robbie Shay. “The Center for Women in Sports Leadership is going to create awesome opportunities for our student-athletes.”
The Center for Women in Sports Leadership prepares women to lead in sports by combining academics, leadership training and hands-on experience. The Center includes a new sports management degree launching in fall 2027 and a Sports Leadership Living and Learning Community, which had its first cohort of students in fall 2025.
Sports Leadership Living and Learning
The Sports Leadership Living and Learning Community is providing students with the resources and connections they need to pursue careers in sports leadership.
“Data suggests that students who are part of living and learning cohorts, meaning students living together who have a common academic or co-curricular goal, form deeper bonds, have a stronger connection to campus, are retained at higher rates and form a deep community of sisterhood,” said Jackie Wilson, dean of students.
The 25 students in the Sports Leadership Living and Learning Community on the third floor of Stephens Hall are new students and upper-level students, athletes and non-athletes, and a variety of majors interested in a sports leadership career path.
They participate in programming that focuses on the life of an athlete, such as mental health, well-being and nutrition for optimal performance and injury prevention. They also get access to VIP events, such as a meet and greet with trailblazing sports agent Nicole Lynn, who spoke at Founder’s Day in September 2025.
Kelley Hammond, assistant professor of kinesiology and exercise science, serves as faculty mentor and provides academic lectures developed specifically for residents in the living and learning community. The students can also participate in a women in sports leadership workship, a work experience that offers real-life experience and the opportunity to earn microcredentials.
Connecting With the Sports Community
The Center for Women in Sports Leadership also offers workshops and networking opportunities with women leaders in the sports industry, which helps students build confidence and prepare for successful careers in sports leadership. Students gain real-world experiences with community partners such as Girls. Inc., Ironhawk Juniors Triathlon and NWALA.
“These partnerships are crucial to understanding and meeting the needs of the community as well as the future career-oriented student,” said Kimberly Allen, vice president of academic and student affairs.
Student-athletes make up 45% of the undergraduate student population. As a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC), the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Association (KCAC) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), student-athletes compete in 12 sports: basketball, bowling, competitive dance, cross country, flag football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.
“Student-athletes are the face of the College when they’re out in the community, and traveling and competing,” Smith said. “They are students who understand grit, resilience and the character that it takes to be a solid leader in the community.”