By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After serving the Tennessee Tech athletics department for nine years as its coordinator of compliance and special events, Mandy Thatcher was recently promoted to the title of Director of Compliance.
"I am very thankful to both [Director of Athletics] Mark Wilson and President [Dr. Philip] Oldham for making this a possibility," Thatcher said. "I love my work and the role that I am able to play in the lives of our student-athletes. I'm excited for this opportunity and for what the future holds ahead."
Thatcher's wide range of responsibilities proves instrumental in the department's realizing smooth, day-to-day operations and meeting stringent compliance requirements from the NCAA.
Her responsibilities include rules education to each of the 14 Golden Eagle coaching staffs, managing all athletic scholarships, tracking student-athlete participation and eligibility, coordinating the submission of annual reports, and supporting Tennessee Tech's compliance with NCAA and OVC rules.
Thatcher also provides oversight of Tech's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) as well as all Life Skills and community service activities by Golden Eagle student-athletes.
"Mandy has been a integral member of Tennessee Tech athletics for a long time and she has proven herself as more than deserving of her new title," Wilson said. "Her work in educating our athletics community and keeping Golden Eagle athletics compliant has been invaluable. We are so blessed to have her on our team."
A native of Brooklyn Park, Minn., Thatcher was a key starter on Tennessee Tech's 1997 Ohio Valley Conference championship volleyball team, then spent three successful seasons as an assistant coach on the NCAA Division II level prior to joining the staff at her alma mater. During her four years as an assistant coach at Tech she worked alongside head coach John Blair. Among her responsibilities, Thatcher helped recruit a roster of student-athletes that went on to claim the 2008 OVC title.
She spent three seasons as an assistant coach at West Virginia Wesleyan College where she helped compile a 39-37 overall mark, including a 29-13 mark in conference play. She also served as a Golden Eagle assistant volleyball coach for four seasons before joining the athletics' staff.
A four-year letterwinner at Tech from 1995 through 1998 and a three-year starter, she earned numerous awards on the court and was an academic honoree for her work in the classroom. She graduated cum laude in December 1999, with a 3.64 grade point average in English-journalism. She got her Masters in Business Administration at West Virginia Wesleyan College in 2003.
The former Mandy Miller, she married Roland Thatcher in May 2007. The couple has two children – son Cale McKean, born November 26, 2009, and daughter Lauren Jessica, born Sept. 13, 2013.
