Patrice Lombard announced as Penn State Hazleton Director of Athletics

Patrice Lombard has been appointed as the director of athletics, recreation and intramural sports at Penn State Hazleton, Chancellor Gary Lawler announced.

Lombard will oversee a program that includes eight intercollegiate sports and seven intramural sports. She will be responsible for maintaining and strengthening a competitive athletics program, including recruiting and retaining quality student-athletes at the campus.

Chancellor Gary Lawler said, "Patrice has 16 years of experience working with students in higher education, in addition to a great deal of athletics experience and familiarity with our campus and student population. She is an excellent addition to the student services and engagement team at Penn State Hazleton."

Lombard's duties will include supporting the personal, academic and athletic progression of Penn State Hazleton student-athletes while fostering a diverse and inclusive program. She will be responsible for ensuring the program's compliance with the regulations of the Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) and the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) and monitoring all athletics programs.

Director of Student Services and Engagement Tracy Garnick said, "We recognize the value of athletics to many of our students at the campus and want to ensure the best possible academic and athletic experience for our student-athletes. Patrice is committed to developing well-rounded student-athletes who excel in their sport and in the classroom."

Lombard previously spent two stints as assistant women's basketball coach at Penn State Hazleton, representing the campus athletic director at the USCAA National Convention in 2012. She also served an internship with the Athletics Department, during which she was the point of contact for student-athletes, coaches, game officials and PSUAC and USCAA staff members and assisted in managing all home athletic events.

Lombard has been with the campus for 16 years. Most recently, she worked as a records specialist at Penn State Hazleton for four years, serving as the primary point of contact for the registrar's office. In that role, she worked closely with students to counsel them on course and degree requirements. She also worked as a financial assistant to Housing and Food Services for 12 years and served as interim manager of Housing & Food Services at the Hazleton and Berks campuses during that time.

She holds a master of education degree with an emphasis in higher education administration, a bachelor of science degree in business marketing and management and an associate of science degree in information sciences and technology, all from Penn State University.

Lombard received the USCAA Academic All-American and PSUAC Academic All-Conference awards for women's volleyball in 2014 and women's basketball in 2011, Penn State's Commission for Women's Achieving Women Award in 2013, the 2011 Penn State Hazleton's Lifetime Learner Award, and the Friend of Residence Award in 2006.