REDDING, Calif.—Simpson University is pleased to announce the hire of Tom Seitz as director of athletics. His duties began Aug. 3.

Seitz brings more than 25 years of experience as a collegiate player, coach, administrator and commissioner. He has served as the athletic director and/or coach for colleges and universities competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I, II and III levels.

Prior to coming to Simpson University, Seitz was director of athletics at Palm Beach State College (Fla.). Before that, he was commissioner of the Crossroads League in Indianapolis, where he oversaw the operations for a league composed of 10 higher education institutions. He has also served as the athletic director at California State University San Marcos, Jacksonville State University (Ala.), and Jacksonville University (Fla.); and as associate athletic director at Rollins College.

In those roles, he helped build new facilities (baseball stadium; soccer/football/track stadium; field house; practice and training center; baseball/softball complex); developed strategic plans and procedures; more than doubled the number of student-athletes; increased revenue; and began new sports programs in basketball, volleyball and football.

“Tom Seitz was selected after a national search with a finalists’ pool of five candidates,” Chief Operating Officer Wally Quirk said. “He has the credentials and experience with the widest variety of skills ever presented to Simpson University for an athletic director.”

Seitz earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, where he played basketball and subsequently coached; and a master’s degree in business administration from The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. He also coached basketball at Charleston Southern University.

As Simpson University’s Director of Athletics, Seitz will oversee staff members, coaches and intercollegiate sports teams (men’s and women’s soccer, cross-country, track and field, swimming and diving, basketball, wrestling, and volleyball; women’s softball and men’s baseball). Simpson University is part of the NAIA.

Seitz stated, “I would like to thank President Hall, Wally Quirk and the search committee for having confidence in me to lead the Simpson athletic program during this time of extreme growth.”

“I look forward to working with the administration, coaches and community to help take Simpson athletics to a new level of excellence,” he said. “I consider this a great opportunity to serve and can’t wait to dive in.”

Follow Simpson University athletics at simpsonredhawks.com.

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Simpson University, a Christian university founded in 1921, moved to Redding 30 years ago and will celebrate its centennial in 2021. In addition to offering 25 majors in its traditional undergraduate program, the university has graduated more than 4,000 North State adults from its ASPIRE degree-completion program, and nearly 3,000 from its School of Education. It has a No. 7-ranked School of Nursing, a seminary, and master’s programs in counseling psychology and organizational leadership. Simpson University is recognized nationally as one of U.S. News and World Report’s Top 100 Regional Universities West. The university is launching new programs in digital media, computer information systems, and engineering, and recently added athletics programs in track and field, swimming and diving, women’s wrestling, and men’s volleyball, as well as a bass fishing team. The university is also working to better serve transfer students from community colleges through its commitment to Associate Degree for Transfer agreements. Learn more about Simpson University at simpsonu.edu.