UMaine Names Interim Athletic Director [UPDATE]

7 p.m.UPDATE - Samantha Hegmann-Wary joined The Drive this afternoon. You can hear her interview

The University of Maine announced that Samantha Hegmann-Wary, associate athletic director for compliance and senior woman administrator at the University of Maine, has been named UMaine Interim Athletic Director, effective September 1st.

She will replace Ken Ralph who accepted a Divsion 3 Athletic Director position at Southwestern University in Texas,, effective September 15. Ralph's last day at UMaine is August 31st

According to the press release on goblackbears.com

UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy said "I look forward to working with Samantha in the months ahead. I have appreciated the leadership and vision she has provided as senior woman administrator in UMaine Athletics and in our compliance office, and will rely on her experience, knowledge and perspective as we continue to advance the state's only Division I program during this exciting, transformative era made possible by the Harold Alfond Foundation's challenge grant."

Hegmann-Wary has been a member of the UMaine community since 2019. As UMaine associate athletic director for compliance, she oversees the implementation of NCAA rules and regulations for 17 Division I sports. Hegmann-Wary also serves as sport supervisor for baseball and field hockey, and as co-supervisor for women's basketball.

She came to UMaine from Hofstra University, where she served for two years as assistant director of athletics for NCAA education and compliance services. From 2012–17 at Monmouth University, she was assistant athletics director for compliance while also serving as the interim senior associate athletics director for student-athlete development, and as senior women's administrator. There, she oversaw compliance operations for 23 Division I teams.

Hegmann-Wary serves on the Women Leaders in College Sports (WLCS) Mentorship Program and the Maine National Girls and and Women in Sports Committee, and co-leads the WLCS Member Circle: Mental Health in Sports.

She holds a master's degree in physical education and sport management from Adelphi University.

"I appreciate the opportunity to be interim AD for this department," Hegmann-Wary said. "The coaches and people we have here at Maine are so special and they make our student-athletes experience so much better. I am so lucky to be a Black Bear and get to work with such amazing people."

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