North Central College’s Assistant Athletic Director Vernon Mummert has been tabbed the College of Staten Island’s new Director of Athletics & Recreation, it was announced today. A veteran for over three decades in upper athletics administration, Mummert has served as an athletic director at the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA. He will replace Paul Bobb, whose one-year appointment as Interim Athletic Director will come to a close at the end of the month. Mummert will commence his position on July 15.
As director, Mummert will oversee operations of CSI’s intercollegiate and intramural athletics program, consisting of 13 varsity sports housed within The City University of New York Athletic Conference. He will also oversee operations of the Sports & Recreation Center and its surrounding facilities, including membership services, staffing, and external relations. He holds a Masters of Education Degree in Administration and Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education, both from McDaniel College.
Mummert’s travels have taken him to five different campuses, spanning over 30 years in athletics administration. Beginning at nearby NCAA Division III Drew University in 1977, Mummert spent 17 years with the Rangers program, coaching both soccer and tennis, and later assuming Director of Athletics duties, a position he held until 1994. Mummert then traveled west to Prescott, Arizona, as Director of Athletics at Yavapai College, a Division I member of the National Junior College Athletic Association, a position he held for four years.
In 1998, Mummert went back to the NCAA Division III ranks, joining Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, as Athletic Director, where he served for a decade. While at Wabash, Mummert was honored with the prestigious NCAA DIII Central Region Athletic Director of the Year Award, given to him by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
Mummert enjoyed one year at the University of Texas at Brownsville (NAIA Division I) before serving at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, where he oversaw athletics facilities and events this past year. His new appointment at CSI will afford him an opportunity to return to his New York/New Jersey roots.
“I am very excited to have been the College’s choice for this prestigious position,” noted Mummert. “I am very eager to get on board with President Morales and Vice-President Jones-Woolfolk to bring our institution to the next level.”
National caliber competition, furthering postseason advancement for Dolphins teams, and higher recognition and greater community involvement for student-athletes are all on the docket for an anxious Mummert.
“I’m really looking forward to building those bridges at Staten Island to help us get to where we want to go locally, regionally, and nationally. Getting more teams into the NCAA postseason, getting more recognition for our teams, and working with faculty to create a more harmonious community is very exciting. We want to complement the educational experience for our students at CSI and I’m looking forward to getting started.”
A member of the McDaniel College and Drew University Hall of Fame’s, Mummert has been a part of numerous campus and national committee appointments. As a former soccer and tennis coach, he collected over 275 wins and won three ECAC Championships at Drew University.
“We are very excited to have a seasoned athletic director like Vernon Mummert enter the CSI program,” says Bobb, who also served as chairperson of the search committee, which fielded many applicants nationwide. “CSI has tremendous potential and it deserves the experience and commitment to excellence that Vernon has demonstrated. There is evidence indicated that he has the ability and leadership that would benefit a first-rate Division III athletic program.”
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Mummert plans to reside in Staten Island, with his wife, Susan. He is the father of two daughters, Lauren and Megan, and a son, Matthew. Of a soccer family, all of Mummert’s children have enjoyed proficient playing careers. His daughter Megan enjoyed a 20-2-1 season with NCAA Division III Augustana College, while Matthew, a high school senior, completed another successful season at the Carmel U-16 Academy squad, one of the nation's top soccer programs.