Graduation Year

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

D.B.A.

Degree Granting Department

Management

Major Professor

Dahlia Robinson, Ph.D.

Co-Major Professor

Christian Koch, DBA.

Committee Member

Uday S. Murthy, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Jennifer Wolgemuth, Ph.D.

Keywords

athletics, FBS, intercollegiate, leader, NCAA Division I

Abstract

The underrepresentation of women in executive leadership roles within intercollegiate athletics remains a persistent issue despite decades of progress in gender equity following the passage of Title IX. The purpose of this study was to examine the institutional and organizational factors associated with higher percentages of women in executive leadership positions within NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) athletic departments. Specifically, this research investigated whether institutional characteristics, such as athletic department budget size, the gender of the athletic director, the gender of the university president or chancellor, and institutional commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion were associated with the representation of women in senior athletic leadership roles. The rationale for this study stems from the continued gender imbalance in athletic administration and the limited empirical research identifying institutional environments where women’s leadership representation is comparatively higher.

This study employed a quantitative, non-experimental research design using publicly available data from official athletics department websites and national databases. The sample included public Division I FBS institutions within the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, and Southeastern Conference (SEC). Data were collected on the gender composition of executive leadership teams and relevant institutional characteristics. Correlational and regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between these variables and the percentage of women serving in executive leadership roles.

The results indicate that institutional size and resources are positively associated with women’s representation in executive leadership. Institutions led by a female athletic director or a female president or chancellor also demonstrate higher percentages of women in executive leadership positions. Conversely, the analysis revealed an unexpected negative relationship between the relative emphasis on women’s sports teams and the percentage of women in executive leadership roles.

The findings contribute to the broader literature on gender and leadership in sport administration by identifying institutional factors associated with greater female representation in executive leadership. These results have practical implications for universities, search committees, and governing bodies seeking to create more inclusive leadership pipelines and advance gender equity within collegiate athletics.

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