Apr. 5—POTSDAM — Clarkson University named Laurel Kane, who has worked at the school for 22 years, as its new athletic director Wednesday.

Kane, who has been an associate athletic director since 2010, replaces Scott Smalling, who is taking a position as vice president of operations at Clarkson.

"I'm looking forward to really start some things to help move this department ahead," Kane said. "Scott did a wonderful job getting us through the pandemic and we are just starting to get some things going. We will look at what we are doing well and what are some things we can look to improve on, and how? We will be taking a fresh look at things."

Kane and her husband, Jim, who coaches Clarkson baseball, came to Potsdam together in 2001. Laurel Kane started at Clarkson as the women's soccer and women's lacrosse coach.

"Jim and I were going to get our feet wet in coaching for a year or two, maybe three, and then get out," Kane said, "(Now) we really have the best of both worlds. He was coaching, and he was successful, and I had always wanted to get into administration. In this line of work, to be at the same institution, we are fortunate. Our department is such a good group. It's a community. We are both from relatively far away, and they became our family up here."

Smalling will still be involved with athletics in his new role. He will oversee facilities, custodial services, capital projects and vendor relationships. He will also be director of athletics strategy and work in fund-raising projects.

"It's a bit of a change in (university) philosophy," Kane said. "That will be critical. We need to continue to improve our facilities to stay competitive. It puts an emphasis on that. (Smalling) is really going to take the lead on that.

"The biggest thing is how the student-athlete experience is ever changing. Mental health is a big concern, how we can we equip them to compete on and off the field?"

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many financial problems for colleges. Schools lost income from students paying for room and board. Athletic departments lost money from having no crowds at games.

"At Clarkson we are very fortunate because we have such a good return on investments," Kane said. "If you come here and get through here you will get a job at the end of your four years. You can't say that about all schools."

Prior to arriving at Clarkson, Kane has some athletic administration experience. She was an assistant athletic director, as well as head women's soccer coach, at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana.

The biggest new challenge for her when she started as an associate athletic director at Clarkson was dealing with all the paperwork and NCAA compliance rules.

"As a coach, you are looking at ways to win," Kane said. "As an administrator we need to make sure we are doing what we need to do in compliance and mitigating risk. As a coach, you have a team of players. As an administrator you have a team of coaches and staff that are all part of a common goal."

Kane will be the fifth current female athletic director at an ECAC Hockey school. Harvard, Yale, Cornell and Brown also have female athletic directors.

Among Clarkson's Division III conference foes, Kane will also be the fifth female athletic director in the Liberty League. Vassar, Skidmore, Ithaca and RIT all have women athletic directors.

Kane is the first female AD at Clarkson and follows previous female athletic directors at north country colleges in Jan Reetz (SUNY Potsdam), Margie Strait (St. Lawrence) and Diane Para (SUNY Canton).

"In this day and age when institutions are looking at enrollments and enrollment management, Division III athletics is vitally important to the institution as a whole," Kane said. "I do think (Clarkson) understands we have 400 Division III student-athletes here. They are coming here for a great education and to play their sport as well."