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Higgins begins duties as FLC's new director of athletics
Published: Tuesday, March 4, 2008 by Office of Alumni Relations
Author: Andrew Beardsley, Sports Information Director
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DURANGO - The Fort Lewis College Athletic Department started a new era yesterday when Dr. Kelly Higgins reported for his first day as the Skyhawks' new athletic director. Higgins, appointed by Fort Lewis College President Brad Bartel in December, officially began his athletic director duties on March 1.
Higgins joins the Skyhawks with an extensive resume and an array of athletic experience. He's most recently served as the interim athletic director and a consultant at the University of the District of Columbia (2004-present) and as the assistant vice president and director of athletics at the University of South Dakota (1998-2004).
In 2003 Higgins created KJH Sports Service out of Omaha, Neb. KJH Sports Service offers specialized consulting services including personnel enhancement, career planning, financial analysis and strategic planning. The University of the District of Columbia became one of his clients starting in 2004. At UDC Higgins was instrumental in the re-starting of competition, a fourfold increase in graduation rates and a $1.35 million athletic field renovation project.
In addition to his work in Washington, D.C., Higgins served as the director of athletics and assistant vice president at the University of South Dakota. At South Dakota, Higgins coordinated and facilitated Athletic Department capital, compliance, fundraising and long-term planning projects. He also spent four years (1994-98) at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks as the director of athletics and recreation. At Fairbanks he created and inaugurated the "Top of the World Classic," a well known men's basketball tournament, in November of 1996.
In 1993 and 1994, Higgins served as the assistant commissioner of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), where he was responsible for all areas of conference compliance issues and conference championship management and planning. He also assisted with the "RMAC Week-in-Review" television show and coordination of the conference officials.
In 1981, Higgins received his undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of South Dakota. Four years later he earned a masters of science in exercise science from the University of Nebraska. He earned his doctorate in sports administration in 1995 from Temple University, where he also served as a graduate teaching assistant from 1985-87.
Higgins has served on numerous national and regional committees ranging from the NCAA Swimming and Diving Committee (2000-04) to the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Division II Board of Directors (1996-98). He was also the RMAC men's basketball tournament assistant director in 1994.
Higgins and his wife, Julie, have two children, Jack (19) and Lauren (15).
Author Andrew Beardsley is the sports information director at Fort Lewis College. He can be reached at 970-247-7441 or beardsley_a@fortlewis.edu.
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