In a field once predominantly dominated by men, UTEP’s Anna Claire Thomas sticks out as a rising star within the UTEP communications staff. She is currently serving as the assistant athletic director , a position she has held since 2019 after leaving her alma mata Louisiana Tech. She was the assistant director of athletic communications for the previous seven years.
According to Higher Education Publications Inc., the number of women athletic directors in the NCAA has nearly doubled since 1990 from around 10% overall to about 20% currently. The numbers, though, are skewed at the lower tier division representing 30% of total directors, while the upper tiers have approximately 13% of women’s positions.