Angie Abraham is Tri-County’s New Athletic Director
CONTACT: ANGIE ABRAHAM, 646-2036
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5/28/2010
(By Lisa Garrett)
PENDLETON --- Angie Abraham says there hasn’t been a day since starting the job as Tri-County Technical College’s new Athletic Director that she hasn’t awakened excited and smiling.
 “Even when I think about all of my notes and plans and lists, I’m not overwhelmed. It’s so exciting to be a part of building an athletic program with such a great group of professional coaches,” she said.
Tri-County has had Men’s Golf and Soccer teams for five years, but this year added women’s soccer and basketball. In addition to Angie as Athletic Director, there are two new coaches on board – Alesia Smith as women’s basketball coach and Ed Heberling as Men’s and Women’s Soccer Coach. “It’s exciting and challenging and a chance to make history,” she said.
Angie has 10 years of experience as a collegiate basketball coach and four as an athletics administrator. “I wanted the opportunity to be able to direct a program like Tri-County’s. It’s what I’ve been working towards. My previous jobs prepared me for this position.”
After earning an associate of Arts degree at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, NY, she played basketball as a student at Buffalo State College, where she majored in Broadcasting and later earned a master’s in Student Personnel Administration. “My intent was to pursue sports broadcasting as a career, but I got sidetracked with a coaching offer. I was offered a coaching job at the end of the last season of my senior year at Buffalo, served as a student assistant in the Athletics Department, and became part of the staff after graduation.”
“That piqued my interest,” she said.
After two years as assistant women’s basketball at coach and assistant ice arena manager at Buffalo State and one year at Genesee Community College as Assistant Women’s Basketball coach and Sports Information Director, she accepted her first head coaching job at Erie Community College in 2000. “By then, a broadcasting career was out, but it was good training for media interviews and public speaking so it was not a waste at all,” she said.
Angie also has worked as Head Basketball Coach and Recreation Coordinator for Bennett College for Women and Assistant Athletic Director for Defiance College.
She stopped coaching in 2008 and was moved into the position of Women’s Basketball Director of Operations for Winston-Salem State University.
“I wanted athletic administration to be in my future,” she said. “I began to focus on the challenge of what it takes to run an athletic department. It starts and ends with you. You are responsible for bridging so many personalities and programs and making them one unit,” she said.
“I enjoy being responsible for student-athletes and their welfare, in addition to making sure they accomplish their academic goals either by graduating or by transferring. They are students first and athletes second,” she said.
She says she is lucky to have such seasoned coaches at Tri-County. “They have a passion for what they are doing. They are doing it because they love what they do. It shows in the work they do every day. Everyone has been so wonderful and cooperative. We work well together. We all have the same goal in mind.”
She encourages faculty, staff and students to attend home games when the season begins. “Sports adds a sense of pride to the College -- something you can hang your hat on and cheer for. Even if you don’t play sports, you can come and watch and be a part of it. It brings the college community together.”
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Oconee