DeKALB, Ill. – Anton Goff, a former athletic director at three NCAA institutions whose career was built in the academic support services area, has been named Senior Associate Athletic Director/Director of Student-Athlete Academic Support Services at Northern Illinois University, NIU Associate Vice-President and Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier and Associate Vice-Provost for Student Engagement and Success Renique Kersh announced Monday.
 
Goff, who most recently served as director of athletics at St. John's University, will lead NIU's Student-Athlete Academic Support Services unit, serve as a member of Frazier's senior staff and work closely with the academic departments and counselors throughout campus to put all NIU student-athletes on a path to graduation and to student career success. In the future, the position will include oversight of specific sports programs.
 
Frazier said he is extremely pleased to bring an administrator with Goff's experience to NIU.
 
"Bringing Anton Goff to NIU is a big-time get for Huskie Athletics and the entire NIU community," Frazier said. "As an athletic director for the past eight years at three different universities, he understands the big-picture role athletics plays and knows how to work with the departments and units throughout campus to ensure we are fully integrated and working together toward our shared goal of graduating student-athletes. In addition, his background leading the academic support unit at Maryland, and rising through the ranks in academic support, not to mention his time as a student-athlete in the MAC, give him a terrific perspective. We're excited to welcome him to the Huskie Family."    
 
Kersh was pleased to bring an administrator with extensive experience in both athletic administration and academic support to lead the Huskies' SAASS office.
 
"We are thrilled to welcome Anton Goff to NIU and look forward to continuing to prioritize academic and athletic excellence through the work of the SAASS team," Kersh said. "Anton's extensive experience in athletic administration and academic support from top universities around the country will benefit both the SAASS staff and the student-athletes they serve."  
 
Goff was the director of athletics at St. John's University from November 2016 through June 2018, leading the 17-sport Big East program with a focus on fundraising as well as external relationships. As the athletic director at the University of Hartford from 2014-16, he helped the Hawks make significant strides in the areas of fundraising and student-athlete academic success while directing the 18-sport program. He oversaw several enhancements to Hartford's branding including creation of new athletic logos, added a women's lacrosse program and negotiated the first all-sports apparel deal in school history.
 
He arrived at Hartford after three-and-a-half years as director of athletics at Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland. Under his supervision, the Bulldogs captured a pair of conference championships, and he increased the academic success rate of the department across the board. He created the first athletics support fundraising organization in school history and served on multiple conference-wide committees, including the CIAA Football Competition Committee, the CIAA Basketball Tournament Committee and the CIAA Management Council.
 
In the last of his two stints at the University of Maryland, from 2004-10, Goff served as associate athletic director with direct responsibility for the academic support and student services for over 700 student-athletes on 27 varsity teams. In that role, he developed and coordinated a tutorial program for all student-athletes, planned and implemented a comprehensive career development program and managed the NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills efforts. He also served as sport administrator for six teams and developed initiatives for scholarship fundraising while serving on the department's senior staff.
 
Before going to Maryland in that role, Goff was the associate director of student-athlete support services and served as the academic coordinator for the football program at Michigan State from 2001-04, overseeing all aspects of academic support as well as career development for MSU football student-athletes. He went to Michigan State after his first stint at Maryland, when he was assistant director of academic support and career development for multiple teams, including men's basketball.
 
A football student-athlete at Bowling Green University from 1986-89, Goff also began his career in college athletics in the Mid-American Conference, as an academic counselor and CHAMPS/Life Skills Coordinator at Kent State University for three years.
 
Goff said he was excited to return to the MAC and to work with NIU student-athletes and administrators to continue the Huskies' tradition of success in the classroom.
 
"I'm absolutely excited about being a part of the team at NIU and joining with the coaches and student-athletes, as well as the staff in SAASS and the academic community at NIU, to continue the unprecedented success the Huskies have had in the classroom," Goff said. "My family is excited about being a part of the DeKalb community and joining Huskie Nation."
 
Goff begins his duties at NIU on Monday, March 2.
 
-- NIU --