THE SAGE COLLEGES

Danielle “Dani” Drews
M.A, University of Connecticut, 1989; B.A., Hamilton College, 1988;
Director of Athletics and Recreation at The Sage Colleges.

Hired at Russell Sage in July of 2005, Dani Drews has overseen the tremendous growth in the Athletics Department at the college. She has been the guiding force behind the development of the program from a single-gender, NCAA Division III independent competitor with just five programs to one that current fields 10 varsity programs and will expand to 12 in the fall of 2010 with the addition of men’s soccer and men’s cross country. The department will boast 12 varsity programs for men and women spanning The Sage Colleges’ two campuses (Troy and Albany).

Since her arrival, the department has continued to develop and expand. Sage joined the Skyline Conference in 2007. Since joining the conference, the women’s volleyball team has captured the conference championship in both 2007 and 2008, which resulted in the college’s first NCAA Tournament appearances in any sport, while the women’s soccer program earned back to back bids to the ECAC tournament in 2008 and 2009.

Sage’s athletic facilities have also undergone a tremendous transformation under her watch as the college acquired the Neff Athletic Center and renovated the facility that also is home to the Robison Softball Complex, which was officially opened in the spring of 2009 after a two-year construction project was undertaken. Additional renovation include the Kahl Gymnasium and the fitness center on the SCA Albany (2009), that also coincided with the returns of varsity athletics to the Sage College of Albany in 2008.

Drews also undertook the redesign of the Gator logo in 2008 and an official brand for The Sage College’s athletic teams and department.

Prior to her arrival at Sage, Drews was the head women’s volleyball coach at Oswego State from 1991-2005, where she was named the 1991 and 1994 SUNYAC Coach of the Year. She was also named the 1994 NYSWCAA Coach of the Year in volleyball after leading the team to a 42-3 record, a mark that stands today for most wins in a season at Oswego State. She also served as Assistant Athletic Director at Oswego State from 2000-2005. She was the Senior Woman Administrator and President of the SUNY Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) before arriving at Sage.

As an undergraduate at Hamilton College, she was a three-time captain and four-year competitor in volleyball and softball. She helped the volleyball team to three-straight NYSWCAA tournament appearances during her playing career. As a pitcher on the 1988 softball squad, she established a school record, which still stands today as she was undefeated (7-0) and helped the team to their second-most wins in a season in program history.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from Hamilton in 1988. Following graduation from Hamilton, she pursued and earned a masters’ degree from the University of Connecticut in 1989.

She is extremely active professionally as she is a member of NADIIIAA, NACDA, and NACWAA and the New York Attack Volleyball Club Board of Directors.