Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today named Dr. Lee A. McElroy, Jr. as interim director of athletics. The appointment is effective March 1, 2015. In this capacity, Dr. McElroy will assume responsibility for overseeing the Institute’s 12 men’s and 11 women’s NCAA intercollegiate teams (21 Division III, 2 Division I), involving more than 550 student-athletes, as well as intramurals.

“Dr. McElroy has extensive professional experience in higher education, athletic administration, academic advising, counseling, personnel selection, program development, classroom instruction, marketing, recruiting coordination, strategic planning, and university advancement,” said Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson. “Working closely with student life leaders, as well as administrators and faculty, Dr. McElroy will further our focus on supporting student-athletes on and off the field with programmatic and leadership opportunities that embody the Clustered Learning, Advocacy, and Support for Students (CLASS) approach to the Rensselaer student experience.”

“It is a very exciting time for intercollegiate and intramural athletics, and I am honored to be appointed to this role by Dr. Jackson.” McElroy said. “RPI athletics has superb coaches and support staff and a phenomenal group of student-athletes who represent the Institute proudly.”

For the past 14 years, Dr. McElroy served as Vice President and Director of Athletics at the University of Albany. During this time he was appointed to the NCAA Management Council and elected president of the National Association of College Athletic Directors (NACDA); won three America East Commissioner's Cups in 2007, 2013 and 2014; earned 32 NCAA post-season berths; won 63 America East conference titles; was named to the NACDA Hall of Fame in 2012; served as President of the American East Board of Directors 2007 and 2011; and served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the United States Sports Academy.

Through his more than three decades of athletic administration experience, Dr. McElroy also served as athletic director at several other prominent universities, including American University and California State University. In addition, he served as associate director of athletics at the University of Houston.

Dr. McElroy received an educational doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Houston, a master’s degree in education from the University of Southern California, and a bachelor’s of science degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he was a three-year letterman on the UCLA football team.

Dr. McElroy succeeds Mr. Jim Knowlton, who has served as Rensselaer athletic director since 2008.

Rensselaer is commencing a national search for a director of athletics.