Western New England University has appointed its first woman to serve as Director of Athletics and Recreation.
Longtime tennis coach and former assistant athletics director Jenn Kolins began leading the Golden Bears this week.
Kolins, who has been working for WNE for 24 years, says more women are now leading college sports programs than when she was a student.
“When I was their age and a little bit younger than them, the opportunities were not there and just the perception of girls and women in sport and how much it has changed," said Kolins. "I think we have to keep getting that word out there because our women athletes are doing some amazing things…”
According to the NCAA, 33 percent of Division III schools have female athletic directors, up 5 percent from a decade ago.
WAMC’s Pioneer Valley News Bureau is on the WNE campus.
