NEW ROCHELLE, NY –Building on its championship seasons in volleyball and basketball this year and its recent entry into the Eastern College Athletic Conference, The College of New Rochelle (CNR) announces the appointment of John “Jay” Butler as new Director of Athletics.
Butler was chosen to take over the role of Director of Athletics & The Wellness Center after a national search. He comes to CNR from the College of Mount Saint Vincent where he was Director of Athletics and Recreation. There he worked with student athletes and managed the day to day operations of a 15 sport NCAA Division III program.
“In his previous positions, Jay Butler demonstrated a clear understanding of student-athlete needs through his attention to class attendance and G.P.A.’s, work with S.A.A.C. (Student Athletic Advisory Committee), and leadership of community service efforts. His expertise in recruitment and guiding student athletes will be a great asset in our goal to continue shaping and strengthening our Athletics Program as well as utilizing the Wellness center to enhance student engagement,” elaborated Elaine White, Vice President for Student Services.
“All the work we do is designed to provide an outstanding experience for our student athletes. While we all want to win titles and provide athletic outlets, our overriding focus is to develop successful student athletes. At CNR, an important part of our competitive strategy will be encouraging leadership, teamwork, service, and personal growth. I’m also excited to embark on ways for the whole campus to take advantage of The Wellness Center in providing programs, and educational resources to holistically incorporate wellness into busy academic lives,” explained Butler. Butler will oversee the CNR Athletics Program, and the business management of The Wellness Center. His responsibilities encompass recruitment and cultivating qualified student-athletes and sharing a vision and direction for the department in alignment with the College’s strategic plan.
“One of my priorities is recruitment of student athletes with the academic, leadership, and athletic credentials to contribute to CNR. We need to do the research and reach out to area clubs and high schools to find the potential talent and then actively recruit these athletes. Overall, I’m excited for the opportunity to use my knowledge and experience in higher education and athletics to transform the athletic and wellness goals for CNR,” added Butler. Previously, Butler was the Assistant Director of Athletics at Hood College, where he also was head coach for women’s basketball and men’s and women’s tennis. He also served as Coaches’ Ministry Director, where he led a coaches’ ministry in five school districts in Ruston, LA, and coached women’s tennis and basketball at several schools, including Louisiana Tech University, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and Brown University.