ITHACA, N.Y. – Ithaca College Associate Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Campus Recreation Susan Bassett '79 has announced that she plans to retire following the 2025 academic year. Bassett, who has served as the director of athletics at her alma mater since 2013, has worked in intercollegiate athletics for 45 years.

"What a journey it has been. With credit to Robert Frost, 'the road taken' brought me to Ithaca College in 1975 where theory, practice and performance provided an operating framework for my future career," said Bassett. "Looking back, I feel gratitude for every day, for the many opportunities offered and for the wide range of people I have coached, mentored, and collaborated with at four great colleges. I am grateful for gaining valuable experience and friendships through service with the NCAA and the organization Women Leaders in Sports."

"Susan Bassett is a trailblazer and an absolute treasure in the world of college athletics," said Ithaca College President La Jerne Terry Cornish. "She is an inspiring role model to countless student athletes, many of whom she coached to championship seasons, and she has been recognized nationally by her peers for elevating entire athletic programs at three different institutions. Here at Ithaca College, Susan was an inspiration to the entire campus from the very beginning of her collegiate career as an undergraduate student."

Over the past 12 years, Bassett has truly left her mark on Ithaca College. She established the Leadership Academy, created new full-time positions for strength and conditioning coaches in the department, developed the department's Peak Performance Strategy and cultivated an environment to promote mental health awareness and proper nutrition for student-athletes.

In her first year back at her alma mater, Bassett oversaw an athletics identity branding process which was launched in August of 2014. The implementation of a comprehensive identity for the Ithaca College Bombers was the first ever for IC and has inspired program cohesion with the motto, "27 sports, one team".

Along with that, Bassett spearheaded numerous fundraising efforts that resulted in the renovation of Butterfield Stadium with a new retaining wall in 2017 and a brand-new synthetic playing surface and lights, which were installed in 2023. Most recently, the college announced plans to install a new outdoor track and field facility that will begin construction in April 2025.

Under Bassett's watch, Ithaca has also excelled in the field of competition and has been one of the best NCAA Division III programs in the country. IC has placed within the top 20 seven different years, including two top 10 finishes, in the LEARFIELD Directors' Cup standings, which tracks athletic performance in NCAA postseason competition for up to 18 sponsored varsity teams. The Bombers have won dozens of conference titles and produced 26 individual national championships from 13 student-athletes and more than 300 All-Americans since 2013.

During the 2017-18 academic year, Ithaca College accepted an invitation to join the Liberty League as the 11th member after spending more than 20 years in the Empire 8 Conference. IC was a founding member of the E8, which evolved from the ICAC, and the transition to the Liberty League re-established some of IC's longest rivals in collegiate athletics.

Since 2013, Bassett worked tirelessly to put Ithaca College on the national stage and pursue essential upgrades to athletic facilities on campus. In 2019, Ithaca played the 61st Cortaca Jug game at MetLife Stadium and the contest drew an NCAA Division III record crowd of 45,161 fans. In 2022, the Cortaca Jug returned to New York City, this time at Yankee Stadium with 40,232 fans in attendance.
She also added to the student-athlete experience with the announcement that women's wrestling would be added as the 28th varsity sport at Ithaca. Women's wrestling will officially begin its first season of competition in 2025-26 and the sport was just recognized as the 91st NCAA championship sport.

Cornish added: "For the past dozen years, she has led the athletics program at her alma mater with wisdom, strength, and purpose, recording a steady stream of successes on and off the field. The entire college, not only the athletics program, is stronger today because of Susan's passion as an educator and leader. We wish her as much happiness and success in retirement as she has brought to so many others during her stellar career."

Bassett joined Ithaca College after serving as Director of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation at Carnegie Mellon University from 2005-2013. During her tenure, she developed the Excellence Forum to provide students with leadership and life-skills development and staff with professional development opportunities. Additionally, Bassett participated in the improvement of many campus facilities including the installation of a new state-of-the-art turf field for the university's stadium, the replacement of the university's track, the addition of a varsity weight room, and a new soccer stadium. The Tartans began their trajectory of competitive success in both the UAA and NCAA competition as the women's soccer team advanced to the elite 8 and women's tennis, men's basketball, and track and football were NCAA Championship participants, among other notable team achievements during her time in Pittsburgh.

"From coaching to leading athletics departments, my life has been enriched through meaningful connections made with so many wonderful people over the course of 45 years," Bassett continued. "What I learned from working alongside amazing colleagues - coaches, administrators, trustees, presidents, faculty, team physicians, and of course the student athletes - the outcome might well be quantified as an advanced degree in life-long learning. I have been fulfilled and sustained by striving to create an environment where student-athletes can thrive in their pursuit of academic and athletic excellence. I would like to thank the many donors who over the years have supported initiatives to enhance student experience."

In June 2010, Bassett was named the Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year for the Central Region of the United States. That same year, she became the first active Division III athletics director to be elected president of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA), now known as Women Leaders in Sports.

Prior to her arrival at Carnegie Mellon, Bassett served as the director of athletics at William Smith College in Geneva, N.Y. from 1995-2005. During her tenure, she facilitated the addition of golf and sailing teams and the athletics programs enjoyed regional and national prominence. Bassett also developed the Peak Performance Plan, a mentoring initiative to help student-athletes reach their full potential academically, athletically, and professionally. In 2000, William Smith was recognized as one of the top three athletics programs in the nation by "Sports Illustrated for Women." She was elected Chair of the NCAA Division III Management Council and guided the Division through the 2004 Reform Agenda.

Bassett began her career as head swimming and diving coach and assistant lacrosse and field hockey coach at William Smith from 1980-1987, where she coached 22 Swimming All-Americans. She also served as the head men's and women's swimming coach at Union College from 1987-1995, where she mentored 92 All-Americans and was named the NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 1993. Bassett coached Union to five top ten NCAA Championship finishes during her time at the helm.

Bassett has been in inducted into three different athletic halls of fame throughout her career – Ithaca College in 2005, Union College in 2006 and William Smith College in 2012. She was also selected by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America, in 2021 as one of the 100 Greatest College Swimming & Diving Coaches of the past 100 years.

"Finishing my career where it all began, Ithaca College, is a gift beyond any words I could summon. After 12 years at IC and 45 years in intercollegiate athletics, it is time for me to move on to the next chapter of my life, taking a new road beyond South Hill," concluded Bassett.

A national search will take place over the spring semester with the anticipation of appointing a new athletics director by July 1.