Emma Olsson serves as the Averett University Department's assistant director of athletics. She joined the athletics department as an assistant to the Director of Athletics in January 2015 and became the athletics program coordinator in January 2017 before becoming assistant director of athletics.
As the Athletics Program Coordinator, Olsson serves in many roles. She heads the Going For Gold program, which are sessions put in place to develop student-athletes outside of their competition realms. She also established and runs the Averett Leadership Academy, which began in 2019. Olsson teaches an Averett 101 course which is a first year class for international students that helps ease the transition to college in a new culture. As the SAAC Advisor since 2015, Olsson has been an integral part to the program’s recent success in winning three consecutive Cans Across the Conference competitions and Pennies for a Purpose, which are community service initiatives started by the USA South Conference to collect aids and funds for charitable organizations. In her first five years as a SAAC advisor, Averett's SAAC has collected more than 90,000 non-perishable items to donate locally to God's Storehouse and God's Pit Crew while raising more than $22,000 for Pennies for a Purpose to donate to various charities as chosen by SAAC.Olsson was awarded the Averett University Advisor of the Year in the spring of 2018 and 2019.
Olsson's other duties include aiding on the university’s Advising Committee and coordinating the Faculty Athletic Mentor program as well as assisting in the Team Averett corporate partnership operations. She was selected to serve as a facilitator at the annual NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C., in November 2017. Olson also attended the NCAA Leadership Academy workshop in 2019.
Before moving into her various roles, Olsson gained a variety of experience while serving as the assistant to the director of athletics. She served as the tournament coordinator of the 2015 and 2017 USA South Men’s Basketball Tournaments hosted by Averett in addition to her involvement with SAAC, Going For Gold and various department operations.
In August 2017, Olsson was named the assistant coach for the Averett University men's and women's cross country programs. Olsson assists the program with day-to-day operations.
Olsson, a Sweden native and 2014 Averett graduate, played for the women’s soccer team for four years, earning all-conference, all-tournament, all-state and academic all-conference honors. She was a team captain during her junior and senior years and was part of the 2012 conference tournament championship team that made the program's first NCAA appearance.
Olsson earned her bachelor's degree from Averett in December 2014 and her MBA from Averett in December 2016.
