William Smith College Director of Athletics Deb Steward was recently appointed to the NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey Committee. Steward will serve a two-year term.
The ice hockey committee conducts the sport’s championship and develops policies and procedures to administer the championship in an effective and orderly manner. The committee reports directly to the NCAA Championships Committee, which helps direct and approve recommendations or policies and procedures. The sport committee oversees selections to national championships and serves as the NCAA representative during preliminary-round competition and championship finals.
Steward oversaw the addition of ice hockey as William Smith’s 12th varsity sport. The Herons began play in the ECAC West in the 2014-15 season. William Smith joined the United Collegiate Hockey Conference for the 2017-18 season. In just its fourth season, William Smith posted a 16-6-4 overall record and an 11-2-3 record in conference play, earning the No. 2 seed in the UCHC tournament.
Steward served as tournament director for the 2016 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championships. It was the fourth time William Smith hosted an NCAA Championship in her tenure, serving as host site for the 2006 and 2012 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship and the 2007 NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Championship. Steward recently completed a two-year term as chair of the Division III Women’s Golf Championship committee. She previously served as a member of the Division III Softball Championship Committee.
Steward has served as director of athletics at William Smith since 2005. She oversees all of William Smith’s intercollegiate programs as well as supervises the Sports and Recreation Center, the Outdoor Recreation Adventure Program, the waterfront and wellness program. In 2017, Steward was named the Women Leaders in College Sports Division III Administrator of the Year. She was also named the 2014 ECAC Division III Female Administrator of the Year.
