Regan Tekavec selected for UMAC Assistant Commissioner position
ST. PAUL -- After a national search that produced nearly 300 applicants, Regan Tekavec emerged to become the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference’s (UMAC) first-ever Assistant Commissioner. Tekavec’s two-year position, which begins in August, was made possible primarily through the NCAA Division III Ethnic Minority & Women’s Internship Grant program.
Tekavec will join the UMAC after a career journey that has exposed her to professional, Olympic, collegiate and community sports administration. Most recently, Tekavec was the assistant sports information director at Augustana College (S.D.) while completing her master’s degree at the same institution. Her responsibilities at Augustana included writing and design work while being responsible for the game-day operations and media products for 16 Vikings sports. Tekavec’s resume also includes work for the NBA Development League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce , Sioux Empire Baseball and USA Volleyball.
Tekavec, a Colorado Springs, Colo. native, brings experience as a former student-athlete to the position after a four-year career on Augustana’s volleyball team as an undergraduate. During her time at Augustana, she served as the school’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) president for two years and was a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Academic All-Conference selection.
UMAC Commissioner Corey Borchardt stated, “The UMAC is truly excited to have Regan join our conference office staff. Regan’s diverse experience within athletics administration, and specifically her experience within multiple arenas in which she will have responsibilities as the UMAC Assistant Commissioner, make her a great fit for this position. In addition, Regan’s work ethic, passion for intercollegiate athletics, knowledge and understanding of the NCAA Division III philosophy, and familiarity with the student-athlete experience contributed to our hiring committee’s decision to select Regan amongst an excellent pool of candidates.”
In her position with the UMAC, Tekavec will be actively involved in all aspects of operations and administration in the 18-sport NCAA Division III conference, including compliance and governance, championships, officiating development, public relations, marketing, sports information, and fiscal management. In addition, she will serve as advisor to the UMAC SAAC, organizing and leading all conference SAAC meetings.
Borchardt added, “Regan will have a great opportunity to make a significant impact in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference as she will play a key role in all facets of our conference operations while gaining valuable experience in further developing her career in collegiate athletic administration. Her experiences interacting with numerous conference constituents both internally and externally should prove to be very rewarding for her.”
According to a study conducted by the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, Division III schools had the lowest percentage of ethnic minority and female coaches and administrators among the three divisions of the NCAA. The Ethnic Minority and Women's Internship Grant Program is an important initiative that supports Division III's stated mission of its institutions and conferences supporting ethnic and gender diversity for all constituents.