Levanda named Director of Athletics

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Huntingdon College President J. Cameron West recently announced the promotion of Eric Levanda to Director of Athletics.

Levanda has spent more than a decade as Huntingdon's Associate Director of Athletics and Director of Operations.

"Eric Levanda has provided steady, detail-oriented leadership for the Huntingdon athletic department for the past 13 years," West said. "He understands and supports Huntingdon's uniqueness as a member of NCAA Division III, and he has been a champion at Huntingdon for upholding the principles of sportsmanship of the USA South Athletic Conference.  I have confidence in his ability to create the best possible experience for Huntingdon's student-athletes."

Levanda replaces Mike Turk as Director of Athletics. Turk, who has served as Director of Athletics and head football coach since 2013, will continue as head football coach and Associate Director of Athletics.

"I am extremely excited about the future of Huntingdon College athletics with Eric at the helm," Turk said. "Our athletic department has continued to grow, and the responsibility associated with the job of Director of Athletics has grown along with it. Eric will be able to focus on these responsibilities in a full-time capacity, and I look forward to supporting him in the same manner that he has supported me over the past six years.  He is a selfless worker and these are exciting times for our college."

Levanda is beginning his 14th year with the Hawks. A graduate of Auburn University, he came to Huntingdon as the Director of Operations in 2006 and added the title of Associate Director of Athletics in 2007.

"I am honored and humbled to serve Huntingdon in this capacity," Levanda said. "Huntingdon was my first real job upon leaving Auburn after a string of intern positions. Personally, I owe a lot to the institution and the people that have been instrumental in making it what it is today. I am grateful for the trust and confidence that President West and Vice Presidents Jay Dorman and Anthony Leigh have shown in providing me with this opportunity. Serving under the direction of two athletic directors and mentors like Buzz Phillips and Mike Turk afforded me with invaluable experience.  They are two men that I will be forever grateful for.

"I have seen the athletic department, as well as the college, grow in so many ways since 2006, including the addition of sports and facility upgrades. The one thing that hasn't changed year-after-year is interacting with and watching the Huntingdon students grow. The connections made while they are on campus and the ones that continue when they leave campus, truly endear Huntingdon to me. I look forward to furthering that experience as the Director of Athletics."

Having watched the athletic program grow from 10 sports to 18 sports during his time at Huntingdon, Levanda is excited about the overall direction of the program.

"Like I have told our coaches, I'm not looking to reinvent the wheel," Levanda said. "I want to continue to foster an atmosphere that provides the best possible experience for our students who participate in collegiate athletics while pursuing a degree. Competitively speaking, even with the recent departure of coaches who left their programs in a better state than when they inherited it, I believe we currently have the best group of coaches we have ever had. There was competitive improvement across the board last year and I'm hoping to see that trend continue in the always competitive USA South Athletic Conference."