COMMERCE – Texas A&M University-Commerce athletics department has appointed Lion alum Haley Major as the Assistant Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Success. Major returns to Commerce following six years of experience at the Division I level.
 
"We are excited to bring Haley back to Commerce at such a pivotal time for Lion Athletics," said Interim Director of Athletics Eric Coleman. Haley's background, specifically at the Division I level, in academic services, will be critical as we transition into the Southland Conference this fall."
 
"We are looking forward to her continuing to grow the Thrower Center for Student-Athlete Success and assisting our student-athletes in balancing their athletic, academic, and social responsibilities."
 
She arrives to Commerce following a two-year stint as an academic coordinator at the University of Colorado. Her main sport responsibilities were select position groups of the football team and the women's tennis teams, while educating the student-athletes on academic integrity, NCAA eligibility benchmarks, and university requirements.
 
"It is an exciting time for me to have the opportunity to return home and lead a department that supported me and my development when I was a student-athlete here at A&M-Commerce," said Major. "I excited to return to my home state and my alma mater and looking forward to further develop the student-athlete experience within the Thrower Center as we transition into Division I, which I'm very knowledgeable of as displayed throughout my career journey."
 
"I'd like to thank all of the support staff and athletic administrators that paved the way to establish a Best in Class experience at A&M-Commerce and also for believing in me to serve as a leader in the athletics department."
 
A four-year letter winner for the Lion volleyball team, Major was a dean's list recipient and named to the Lone Star Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll. She is a 2015 inductee into the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS). The Euless Trinity High school graduate had a student-teaching internship and was an active member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
 
In her current role with the Lions, she will oversee all student-athlete academic support functions and programs, including the operation of the Thrower Center for Student-Athlete Success.
 
She received her bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies from A&M-Commerce and went on to receive her Master's in Christian Ministry from Baylor. While in Waco, she was a graduate assistant in Baylor's Student-Athlete Center for Excellence.
 
Major served an athletic academic services internship at Texas Christian following her graduation from Baylor. She executed academic plans for 70 student-athletes on the men's basketball, golf, and track and field teams as well as the women's soccer program at TCU, including mentoring 11 at-risk student-athletes using differentiated learning tools to develop their time management skills.
 
A native of Irving, Major headed to Penn State after her time in Fort Worth. For the Nittany Lions, she was an academic support assistant for the football program. Her duties in Happy Valley included developing and utilizing materials to enhance programs and services for the athletic department and the football student-athletes. She also co-taught the school's first-year seminar and bridge programs to help athletes with the transition from high school to college.
 
Major has received her Mental Health First Aid certification from the National Council for Well-Being and is a member of the Women Leaders in College Sports and the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A). She is a student-athlete development programs and practices committee member and academic programs and practices committee member for the N4A.
 
Major's father, Willie, was a high school basketball teammate of former NBA player and coach, Larry Drew, in Kansas City and was an accomplished track star: a member of the 1977 Adidas High School All-American Track team, he ran track (sprints and relays) at Kansas State University and was a member of the world's top 10 ranked 4x400 relay squad.