YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Young Harris College President Dr. Drew L. Van Horn recently announced that Jennifer Rushton will serve as director of athletics for the Mountain Lions beginning July 1.
Rushton has served as interim director since Feb. 1 when Randy Dunn became the director of athletics fundraising for the College.
“YHC is fortunate to have Jennifer stepping up to become the director of athletics,” said Dr. Van Horn. “The high quality of our athletics programming attracts top student-athletes to YHC. While here, student-athletes learn dedication, integrity, teamwork and time and resource management. Jennifer is a great role model because she exemplifies all of these characteristics and more. I’m confident our athletics programming will thrive with her leadership.”
Rushton joined the Mountain Lions last summer as the senior associate director of athletics for compliance/senior woman administrator.
“I am absolutely humbled and honored to serve as the next director of athletics at Young Harris College,” said Rushton. “I would first like to thank Dr. Van Horn for this tremendous opportunity and trusting me to lead this department. I’ve had a number of wonderful mentors over the years but would especially like to thank Randy Dunn for bringing me to the Enchanted Valley and also my former boss and mentor Lisa Sweany, who is the deputy athletic director at Georgia Southern University, for helping me prepare for this opportunity.
“We have an exceptional group of coaches and student-athletes at YHC, and I am privileged to be able to work alongside them,” added Rushton. “We will continue to build this department with integrity, striving for a positive student-athlete experience while challenging our student-athletes in the areas of academic success, competition and leadership. I love being a Mountain Lion and am excited for the future.”
Rushton came to the Enchanted Valley after serving a year as the associate director of student-athlete services at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia.
Prior to Georgia Southern, Rushton spent five years at Armstrong State University serving as the senior associate athletic director for compliance and student-athlete services. At Armstrong, she also served as the senior woman administrator. Rushton’s main responsibilities included developing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with all NCAA rules and regulations. She co-chaired the University Compliance Committee, chaired the athletic department’s Gender Equity Committee and was designated as a deputy Title IX coordinator for the University. In addition, Rushton served as the tournament director for several NCAA regional events, including men’s golf, women’s golf, softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and women’s soccer. Rushton also served as the sport administrator for men’s tennis, women’s tennis and baseball and was the advisor of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. From 2014 – 2017, Rushton was as a member of the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Committee.
From 2008 – 2011, Rushton served as the assistant athletic director for compliance and academic services at Saginaw Valley State University. While at SVSU, Rushton was responsible for overseeing all compliance efforts, served as the sport administrator for eight sports and was the advisor of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Prior to joining SVSU, Rushton served in several capacities at her alma mater, Trine University, from 2000 – 2008, including sports information director, associate athletic director, senior woman administrator and head women’s basketball coach.
Rushton is a member of Women Leaders in College Sports. She is also a member of the Trine University Athletics Hall of Fame (1998) and Montrose Sports Hall of Fame (2004). Rushton was a four-year starter in women’s basketball at Trine, earning all-conference honors three times and NAIA All-America honors once. She graduated from Trine with a bachelor’s degree in biology and earned a master’s degree in sport management from Georgia Southern.
About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private baccalaureate and master’s degree-granting institution located in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires and empowers students through an education that purposefully integrates the liberal arts and professional studies. The College has three academic divisions: Arts and Humanities, Professional Studies, and Mathematics, Science and Technology, with more than 1,400 students enrolled in its residential and Early College programs. The historic campus in Young Harris, Georgia has completed major campus improvements to accommodate the College’s growth. LEED-certified campus improvements include the 121,000-square-foot Rollins Campus Center, residence facilities and a 57,000-square-foot recreation and fitness center. The College is an active member of the NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the prestigious Peach Belt Conference. For more information, visit yhc.edu.
###
