Slippery Rock tabs Greensburg native Roberta Page as university's 1st female athletic director

Slippery Rock has found its next athletic director.

On Wednesday, the school announced the hiring of 1988 SRU alumna and 2015 Rock Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Dr. Roberta Page as its next director of intercollegiate athletics.

She will replace Paul Lueken — the longest tenured athletic director in department history — who announced his retirement in January after 26 years in the job.

Page, a Greensburg native, has been the director of championships and alliances at the NCAA since 2009. She will be the 16th Slippery Rock athletic director and the first female to serve in the role full-time.

“Having the chance to come home and work with the amazing coaches, staff and student-athletes at SRU is something I am truly looking forward to,” Page said. “As an alum, I am looking forward to reconnecting with alumni and the amazing professors who pave the way for our success.”

Before working with the NCAA, Page served as the athletic director at Shippensburg, which also competes in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). For six years, Page headed the athletic department that included 20 intercollegiate sports and more than 500 student-athletes. She also worked as the Title IX coordinator and was responsible for compliance while also working with the Shippensburg University Foundation to fundraise and expand athletic scholarships.

During her four years at Slippery Rock, page earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education with a minor in sports management while being a two-sport athlete. She also went on to earn two master’s degrees in physical education and educational leadership from Western Maryland College. She then earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Duquesne in 2002.

Her athletic career ended at Slippery Rock where she played four seasons of softball and one of basketball. She finished her career with a .266 batting average and ranks eighth in program history with three triples during the 1988 season.

Page has had success leading athletic departments in the past. She led Shippensburg to three Dixon Trophies, which is awarded to the PSAC’s top athletic department each year. The Raiders also claimed 14 PSAC titles, had 60 All-Americans, and crowned two individual national champions during Page’s tenure.

Page is set to continue her role at the NCAA through the spring 2021 championships before beginning her tenure at Slippery Rock in July.