The Road Less Traveled: Analyzing the Career Paths of Women Athletic Directors Utilizing Social Network Analysis

The purpose of this research is to analyze the career paths of current NCAA Division I women athletic directors (ADs), towards the goal of building and identifying networks within intercollegiate athletics. By using social network analysis (SNA), this research builds out a hiring network within intercollegiate athletics by analyzing the career changes of current Division I women ADs. The objectives of this study included exploring current women AD career paths, uncovering institutions deemed most influential in the network, and comparing the career paths of women and men ADs. Findings suggest that on average, women ADs have longer career paths than men, and are alongside a much sparser network. Most women who pursued the title of AD climbed their way up through various positions in college athletics, while hubs in the network accelerated an AD's career. Institutional authorities hired women at a higher position and often at a senior executive level, prior to becoming an AD.