Winona, MN-
Peter Watkins, the executive director of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference (MCAC), has been named as the next Director of Athletic Communications at Winona State University, effective May 13.
Serving as the first full-time administrator for the MCAC beginning in the fall of 2016, Watkins has been a part of the MCAC Executive Committee leadership team working to build, promote and improve one of the largest National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III conferences in the U.S.
Over the past four years, the Minnesota College Athletic Conference has grown in college membership - from 17 colleges to 24 member schools - and in overall sports offerings. Working with program partner USA Clay Target, the MCAC became the first two-year college athletic Conference to offer varsity Clay Target and is on track to debut multiple NJCAA eSports programs in 2020-21. Combined with the traditional sports of football, volleyball, soccer, basketball, wrestling, softball, baseball, and golf, the MCAC has become home to over 1,800 NJCAA student-athletes at member campuses in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota.
Watkins served as the lead administrator for the design and implementation of www.MCACSPORTS.org, a PrestoSport website with integrated statistical, social media, and traditional media platforms. He also serves on several NJCAA national committees, including the NJCAA Diversity & Inclusion Committee, as well as ranking committees in NJCAA football, Division III baseball, and most recently, as a member of the NJCAA Division III men's basketball committee.
Conference sponsorship and partnerships grew significantly under Watkins. The MCAC established relationships with the United States Marine Corps, adidas/Nicklasson Athletic Company, Gopher Sport, and BlueFrame Technology, among others. Team and individual honors and opportunities have expanded over the past four years, growing to include an MCAC Elite Team award designed to recognize academic and athletic excellence. In addition, the Athlete-of-the-Week honor expanded to include all MCAC sports, including wrestling and clay target programs.
The Minnesota College Athletic Conference is the organizational body for NJCAA-affiliated two-year technical and community college athletic programs in the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities system, as well as select member colleges in North Dakota and Wisconsin. The mission of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference is to advance intercollegiate athletics by providing an engaging and supportive environment for the success of our student-athletes and competition among member institutions. The MCAC is committed to the guiding principles of encouraging the development and success of student-athletes, promoting the integrity, honesty, and loyalty to member schools as well as upholding the sustainability of conference athletic programs.
Be sure to follow our MCAC Facebook and Twitter feeds @MCACSports
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