CLEVELAND – The Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) and Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AAA ADA) announced its Fellows Program class. This program will provide a year-long opportunity to FCS and DI-AAA administrators that are ready to take the next step to assume an athletics director position.

The program pairs a FCS or DI-AAA Fellow with an athletics director mentor to address potential areas that they should focus on during the 10-month process, ranging from development, leadership strategies to sport oversight, along other skill areas. In addition, the Fellows class will meet monthly via zoom to discuss hot topics and hear from veteran leaders in the industry.

"We are thrilled to launch the 2^nd annual FCS ADA Fellows Program, which represents a significant step in nurturing the next generation of athletic directors. This initiative pairs aspiring leaders with experienced mentors, providing invaluable guidance and support. Our goal is to equip these future leaders with the skills and insights necessary to excel in their careers and continue the tradition of excellence in FCS athletics," said FCS ADA president Mark Benson, director of athletics at University at Albany.

Steve Watson, president of DI-AAA ADA and director of athletics at Loyola University Chicago added, "The DI-AAA ADA mentoring program has been a cornerstone of our commitment to developing future leaders in collegiate athletics. This program not only enhances the skills of our mentees but also fosters a culture of collaboration and excellence within our association.  A huge thanks to Southern Utah University's Athletic Director, Doug Knuth, for all he's done to make this program successful."

The following is a list of the mentors and mentees:

About the FCS ADA: Now in its 31^st year, the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance Football Championship Subdivision football. For more information on the FCS ADA, please visit www.fcsada.com. The FCS ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 60^th year. For more information on NACDA and the 18 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.

About Division I-AAA ADA: Now in its 24^th year, the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance initiatives common to its Division I-AAA membership (the Division I institutions that do not sponsor football), in particular, aspects related to their flagship basketball programs. For more information on the Division I-AAA ADA, please visit www.div1aaa-ada.com. The Division I-AAA ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 60^th year. For more information on NACDA and the 18 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.