LA JOLLA, Calif. – The UC San Diego athletic department has appointed Eric Coleman to the position of Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director for Compliance and Scholar-Athlete Success, as announced by Tritons' Director of Athletics Earl W. Edwards.
 
As a member of the department's executive team, Coleman will serve in a variety of key roles for Triton athletics as it enters its final season prior to full NCAA Division I membership. He will lead all aspects of institutional compliance with NCAA, Big West and University rules. His key responsibilities include oversight for rules education, monitoring, interpretations, waivers, and investigations. On the academic side, he will direct the eligibility certification process for the department's 23 sports teams while also providing NCAA eligibility advising to its scholar-athletes. Coleman will represent the department as the primary liaison with the Faculty Athletics Representative, Admissions, the Registrar's Office, and the University's academic advising offices. 
 
"It is an honor to join the Triton family," said Coleman. "Triton Athletics has such a rich tradition, and I look forward to serving the UC San Diego community, especially our incredible scholar-athletes as we continue to strive for excellence. I am grateful to Earl Edwards and Judy Bruner for entrusting me with this important role."

In addition, Coleman will oversee the department's scholar-athlete services and development initiatives. This includes its leadership course and capstone development programs.

 "My goal will be to continue doing the great work that has made the scholar-athletes at UC San Diego champions both in their athletic and academic endeavors," Coleman added. 
 
Coleman arrives at UC San Diego after spending 18 months at Texas A&M-Commerce during the Lions' transition to Division I. He brings more than 15 years of experience at the Division I level, highlighted by leadership roles with student-athlete success, academic affairs, and collaboration with athletics compliance. At TAMUC, Coleman was the interim athletics director for over 11 months.

"We are really pleased that Eric will be joining the Triton athletics program in such an important leadership position," said Edwards.  "He has tremendous experience in both Division I and the transition to Division I, he has a tremendous reputation in the industry, and has proven more than capable of meeting the needs of our program during such a transformative time in our athletics history."

At Commerce, Coleman served as deputy director of athletics and chief operating officer, where he was the primary manager for the department's Intercollegiate Athletics Five-Year Division I Strategic Plan and managed the department's policies and procedures manual.  His duties included oversight of the Student-Athlete Performance Team – which encompasses all aspects of the student-athlete experience outside of their actual competitions. He also provided leadership support to the areas of student-athlete well-being, strength and conditioning, student-athlete advisory council initiatives, and managed other appropriate department and campus relationships. Coleman also served as the department's primary liaison to University Counseling Center, Title IX office, University Police Department, Dean of Students office, and Student Rights and Responsibilities.
 
Prior to his stop in Texas, Coleman served at Florida Atlantic for five years, most recently serving as senior associate athletic director for academics and student development, where he oversaw FAU student-athletes' academic success and was the sports supervisor for women's basketball, and men's and women's soccer. He was elevated to that role in 2018 after serving as the Owls' associate director of athletics and director of the student-athlete center for academic excellence and sport supervisor for women's tennis, men's and women's golf, and as men's and women's soccer.
 
Under Coleman's guidance, FAU's Student-Athlete Center for Academic Excellence provided support for nearly 450 student-athletes, including first-generation college students as well as those with documented learning disabilities.

Coleman provided leadership, training and supervision for 10 full-time advisors, four full-time graduate interns and 50 part-time staff members who worked day-to-day supporting FAU student-athletes in various ways including: athletics, academic counseling, life skills, career preparations and mentorship.
 
Florida Atlantic student-athletes excelled in the classroom in Coleman's time with the Owls. FAU student-athletes posted 14 consecutive semesters with a 3.0 GPA or better. In 2020, FAU saw 14 of its 19 varsity teams earn a perfect eligibility score, including eight teams posting a perfect Academic Progress Rate (APR) score. That collective effort enabled the Owls to post a 992 APR for the 2018-19 year, which is the highest single-year score in the department's history. 
  
Coleman and his staff also cultivated an environment which supports community service. FAU earned the Conference USA SAAC Cup and has performed nearly 5,000 hours of community service in each of the last two academic years (2018-20). 

Prior to FAU, Coleman was a member of the student services staff at Fresno State, where he was responsible for the management and oversight of the academic and student services operation for all student-athletes. During the 2014-15 academic year, Fresno State's student-athlete population posted a 3.12 GPA, which was the highest-ever yearly score on record. Fourteen Fresno State sport programs posted team GPAs of over 3.0, which was the first time that many programs tallied above a 3.0 since 2006-07. Additionally, 60% of student-athletes posted GPAs of 3.0 or higher for the spring 2015 semester.
 
Coleman has also served on the academic staff at the University of Iowa (2012-14), as coordinator of multicultural development at the University of Akron (2011-12), as coordinator of academic advising at UCF (2009-11), and coordinator of NCAA CHAMPS/Life skills at Akron (2007-09). 
 
Coleman's career in collegiate athletics began as a football student-athlete at the University of Minnesota-Morris from 1997 to 2001, where he as a team captain, earned Academic All-Northern Sun Conference honors, dean's list honoree, and Student-Athlete Advisory Council member. He also earned his Master of Arts from Minnesota State University in 2004.
 
Coleman will formally join the UC San Diego staff later this month.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.