Intro to Athletics at Amherst College
AMHERST, Mass. - President Biddy Martin announced that Don Faulstick, Amherst College interim director of athletics, has been selected to resume his current responsibilities and has been named the College’s director of athletics, effective immediately.
“We are delighted that Don Faulstick will be our director of athletics,” Martin said. “Don has been part of our athletics administration for 18 years. He has earned the confidence and respect of the members of his department and faculty, staff, and students across the campus. His dedication to academic and athletic excellence is clear, and we all look forward to the impact he will make as Amherst’s athletic director.”
“I want to thank President Martin, Catherine Epstein and the entire search committee for this amazing opportunity,” Faulstick said. “I am thankful and truly appreciative by the support of the department. I’m proud of the accomplishments we’ve shared, and I’m looking forward to continuing to support the College and our incredible student-athletes. This is an exciting time for Amherst and I look forward to a bright future.”
Faulstick’s selection comes after a highly competitive national search that was chaired by Professor Catherine Sanderson. As Amherst’s director of athletics, he will lead the nation’s oldest intercollegiate athletic program. Amherst’s 27 sport teams compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and in the NCAA Division III.
With Faulstick as the interim director for the past year, Amherst athletics has continued to excel, with four NESCAC Championships, one NCAA national team championship, five NCAA individual championships, one national team runner-up and two national team semifinal appearances. In addition to the on-field success, Faulstick also played an essential part in the Colleges’ webcasting partnership with the Northeast Sports Network, which streams and records 120 home events in high-definition.
Since his arrival on campus 18 years ago, Faulstick has served with distinction in multiple capacities, including an associate director of athletics role as well as assistant football coach. As the associate director of athletics, he played an integral role in the 2012-13 renovation of Pratt Field. The nation’s third-oldest football playing site underwent a major overhaul, which included the construction of a new turf surface, a 15,000-square-foot fieldhouse and an eight-lane all-weather track, designed to allow Amherst to host championship-level meets for the first time since 1996.
Prior to his position of interim director of athletics, Faulstick collaborated with his predecessor and now chief student affairs officer, Suzanne Coffey, on department budgetary, personnel, fundraising and crisis management issues, and helped conceptualize and execute numerous department policies, procedures and initiatives.
During his time as offensive coordinator for the Amherst football program, Faulstick helped lead the Purple & White to four NESCAC championships as those teams pieced together a 101-35 overall record during his tenure, including undefeated seasons in 2009 and 2011. He also enjoyed a 53-12 record as the head coach of the softball program in 1997-98, earning the program’s first-ever NCAA tournament berth.
Working alongside Coffey and senior associate athletics director David Hixon ’75, Faulstick has seen the athletic program rise to an unprecedented level of national prominence. Since 2007, Amherst has captured nine of its 11 national team championships, and student-athletes have also claimed 42 individual national championships and 37 NESCAC titles. The Puprle & White consistently rank among the league’s leaders in All-Academic selections as well. Of the program’s 33 CoSIDA Academic All-America honorees, 19 have come since 2008, including 10 over the last five years.
About Amherst College
Founded in 1821, Amherst is a highly selective, coeducational liberal arts college with 1,800 students from most of the 50 states and more than 30 other countries. Considered one of the nation’s best educational institutions, Amherst awards the B.A. degree in 37 fields of study. Sixty percent of Amherst students receive need-based financial aid.