After a national search, Brent Baird has been hired as Penn State Altoona’s director of Athletics. Baird spent the 2014-2015 academic year as the interim director of Athletics at Penn State Altoona following the June 2014 retirement of the department’s previous director, Fredina M. Ingold.
“I am delighted that Brent has accepted the post of director of Athletics at Penn State Altoona. His background and experience as our assistant director of Athletics for seven years and as interim director of Athletics this past year have prepared him well for this post,” states Chancellor and Dean Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry. “Brent is committed to providing an excellent experience for our student-athletes, and he will continue to display great leadership to our coaches and our Division III athletics program. His energy and enthusiasm, his willingness to work with others, and his appreciation for our community will serve him well in his new post. I enjoy working with Brent, and he is an asset to our college and community.”
A graduate of Penn State, Baird has been part of the Penn State Altoona community since 1995, when he was a member of the Admissions office. He transitioned to Athletics in 1998 and assisted in the program’s move to the NCAA Division III level. Baird was named the sports information director in 2001 before taking on the roles of assistant director of Athletics and NCAA compliance Officer in 2007.
In 2010, Baird was honored with Penn State Altoona’s Ted J. Long Staff Excellence Award, which recognizes campus staff members for outstanding professionalism, dedication, and enthusiasm in support of the college. Baird was spotlighted for his work as an athletic administrator in 2012, when he was named an Emerging Athletic Administrator by the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators.
“I am thrilled to take on this position and to continue working with a great staff and group of coaches. I am dedicated to the academic and athletic success of our student-athletes, and we will continue to develop the best possible program we can provide,” states Baird. “Penn State Altoona has a rich history in athletics and has had strong leadership and support from the college and community. I look forward to a bright future.”
Baird is a member of the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators, the National Association of Women’s Athletic Administrators, and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. He has also served on numerous campus committees during his tenure at Penn State Altoona.
Baird holds a bachelor of science in Elementary Education from Penn State, as well as a master of science in sports science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
