Bridget Niland
Bridget Niland, director of athletics and special assistant to the president at Daemen College, has been named a member of the NCAA Division II Infractions Appeals Committee and also chairperson of the Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission (BNSC).
“Community engagement is at the core of every NCAA Division II institution, and I am honored to be a part of these two organizations,” said Niland.
Niland’s term with the NCAA Division II Infractions Appeals Committee will run from Sept. 1, 2017 through Aug. 31, 2020. The five-member committee meets as needed to hear appeals filed on behalf of institutions or individuals that have had penalties levied against them as the result of a major violation found by the Committee on Infractions.
Niland’s seat on the Infractions Appeals Committee aligns with her background, which includes serving as associate director of academic and membership affairs at the NCAA, and in the University at Buffalo’s athletics compliance office. Her experience as a trial attorney with the Department of Justice also figures to lend itself to her work on this committee.
Her elevation to chairperson of the BNSC comes after a two-year stint on the organization’s advisory council, a group comprised of fellow athletics directors, facility and event directors, and business professionals. The advisory council is charged with helping to carry out the mission of the BNSC to promote the region as a premier sports tourism destination.
Niland becomes the first woman to serve as the organization’s chairperson. She succeeds C. Douglas Hartmeyer, director of public affairs for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.
The BNSC is a branch of Visit Buffalo Niagara, the region’s leading travel and tourism bureau. Niland was appointed to Visit Buffalo Niagara’s Board of Directors in 2016.
“These prestigious appointments speak to Bridget’s dedication and rising prominence as a national and regional leader in college athletics,” said Daemen President Gary A. Olson. “Her extensive expertise, knowledge, and insight will be valuable to furthering the efforts of both organizations.”