Posted: May 15, 2013

Blackburn Names Angie Morenz as Athletics Director

CARLINVILLE, Ill. - Blackburn College has announced that Angie (Watson) Morenz will be the next athletic director beginning July 1. Morenz is a 1997 graduate of Blackburn with a major in physical education mangement. She completed her master’s degree in athletic training at Indiana State University the following year. Morenz, a native of Village Ridge, Missouri, is currently working on her doctorate from the United States Sports Academy in sports management with an emphasis in leadership.

Morenz was the first female athlete in Blackburn history to be awarded twelve athletic letters. She lettered four consecutive years in volleyball, basketball, and softball. A member of the 1993-94 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference basketball champions, Morenz also played on the 1993-94, 94-95, and 96-97 conference tournament championship teams as well as the 1996-97 team which qualified for the NCAA tournament.

“It is a privilege to serve Blackburn College and Blackburn College Athletics, one of my goals is to provide a good experience for the student-athletes,” said Morenz. “I really feel strongly about our need to improve facilities which would meet needs on many levels including reduction of missed class time, which would make us more attractive in the recruiting process as well.”

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Angela Morenz as Athletic Director at Blackburn College. It is always good to have one of our own “come home”, and Angie comes into the role very well prepared,” said Blackburn College President Mim Pride. “Angie was a 12-letter athlete here at Blackburn. Following Blackburn she prepared as an Athletic Trainer and worked in the field for several years. She has completed all of her course work for a doctorate in Physical Education while teaching full time in the Department of Physical Education and Sports Management. She has served as NCAA Senior Women’s Administrator, participated in NCAA and St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and interned with the SLIAC Conference office. Angie has participated in a wide variety of College committees (Athletics Committee, Advisor to the Community Service Department and to Common Ground and Orientation) and community activities including, but not limited to Lions Club, Good Samaritan Ministries and the Macoupin County Developmentally Disabled Board .Angie brings a wealth of experience and strong interpersonal relationships to the work ahead,” added Pride.

Morenz brings an athletically diverse background to Blackburn. After graduation from Indiana State, she worked as an athletic trainer for Sportscare and Carlinville Hospital in 1999-2000. From 2000-04, she served as the Head Athletic Trainer at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana. Following that, Morenz was the Equipment Manager at State University of New York at Binghamton. In 2006 she returned to her alma mater and worked in the development office concentrating on alumni relations. From 2008 to the present, Morenz has worked as a professor of physical education and sports management at Blackburn.

“Angie has demonstrated great leadership while serving as senior woman administrator for Blackburn, and I look forward to continuing to work with her as her responsibilities within the Conference increase as the director of athletics. She is very well respected by her peers on the Administrative Council and is a great advocate for Division III, the Conference, our student-athletes and Blackburn student-athletes in particular.

“With its unique work program, there is no one that would bring a greater familiarity of the institution, its mission, athletics program and the expectations of Blackburn students than Angie. That knowledge will prove to be a great benefit for parties involved with the intercollegiate athletics program moving forward,” said Will Wolper, commissioner of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Courtesy Blackburn College