Indianapolis, Ind.- Georgian Court University Assistant Vice President for Athletics, Laura Liesman, has been elected Chair of the NCAA Division II Management Council. Liesman began a four-year term with the NCAA Management Council in May, 2016 as the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference's representative. 

Currently serving as the Management Council liaison to National SAAC, she will serve on the NCAA's Board of Governors as the sole Division II athletic director. Liesman takes over for outgoing chair, Pennie Parker (Rollins College), in January 2019.

"I am certainly honored to serve the NCAA Division II membership as Chair of Management Council. Pennie was my mentor during my initial year on Management Council, so it is humbling to follow her in this role. Being a part of Management Council has been a professional highlight as I have met such stellar colleagues in our division who work diligently to provide our student-athletes an exceptional experience at each Division II institution.  Our Division is guided by exceptional leadership and I look forward to continuing to work with them as we move our division to new heights."

The NCAA DII Management Council reports directly to the Presidents Council and is responsible for recommending administrative policy and regulations that govern Division II. The Management Council also reviews and acts on recommendations from the DII committee structure and from a variety of representatives with Association-wide functions. Lastly, the committee's other main purpose is to appoint DII representatives to those Association-wide committees.

The Council comprises of 29 members and must include at least four directors of athletics, four senior woman administrators, four faculty athletics representatives, two SAAC representatives and one conference administrator. The remaining spots belong to one administrator or representative from each of the DII multi-sport voting conferences, one administrator or representative of DII independent institutions and two "at-large" positions to help achieve diversity of representation.

Serving as Georgian Court's Director of Athletics since September 2003, Liesman continues to lead the athletics program to new heights since its transition to NCAA Division II prior to the 2003-04 academic year. Under her leadership, GCU athletics has added lacrosse, indoor and outdoor track & field, growing the women's offerings to nine. In 2013-14, Georgian Court welcomed the addition of men's athletic offerings including: basketball, cross-country, soccer, indoor and outdoor track & field.  Men's lacrosse was then added in the following year.
Under Liesman's leadership, GCU constructed a state-of-the-art recreation, wellness and athletics complex, which became the new home of GCU Athletics in 2008. Since its debut, the facility has played host to the CACC Women's Lacrosse (2009-13; 15-18), Men's Lacrosse (2018), Men's & Women's Soccer (2010; 16-17), Softball (2008-18), Men's & Women's Outdoor Track & Field (2014-18), and Women's Volleyball (2008-11; 13-15; 18) Championship Tournaments.

Georgian Court's Lakewood, N.J. campus will also be home to the inaugural CACC Championships Festival in Spring 2019 (May 2-5), crowning winners in Men's & Women's Lacrosse, Softball, and Men's & Women's Track & Field all on the same weekend.

Liesman has worked hand-in-hand with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, making it a dynamic entity on campus by providing influential direction as the student-athletes became active contributors on campus and in the community.  The Lions received the NCAA Division II Teamworks Award for most service hours completed in both 2017 & 2018. Liesman's vision for GCU is to continue to develop men & women of integrity and character while providing a competitive and memorable academic & athletic experience. The Lions and their 270+ student-athletes consistently earn conference, regional and national recognition for achievement in athletics, academics and service. Georgian Court has captured 27 conference championships and advanced to 13 NCAA Division II Championship Tournaments during her tenure.

The Aurora, Illinois native has serve on numerous NCAA committees, including the women's volleyball & softball regional advisory committees. She served as Division II Women's Softball Committee Chair from 2008-2010. In addition, she served as the vice-president of the CACC from 2006-08 and president from 2012-16.

Liesman, the two-time (2018, 2011) CACC Athletic Director of the Year, was the recipient of the prestigious Collegiate Athletic Administrators of New Jersey Garden State Award in October 2017, recognizing "enduring contributions to the development of intercollegiate athletics in the state of New Jersey".