Throughout the fall semester, the City University of New York Athletic Conference will spotlight campus administrators, who go above and beyond for our student-athletes to ensure they have a positive and successful collegiate experience.
You won't find many administrators as heavily involved in day-to-day activities on campus than Carrie Thomas, Assistant Director of Athletes for Academics, Compliance and Eligibility/Senior Woman Administrator and SAAC Advisor at Baruch College.
Thomas has been a member of the Bearcats' athletic department for seven years now and is tasked with the duty of ensuring that student-athletes are eligible for competition. This means having students fill out the proper paperwork for the NCAA, assisting with athletic trainers for medical clearance and working with the campus sports information director to get the student on the athletics website, all while getting this information to the registrar for certification.
Thomas is a member of several committees that typically meet throughout the week, and with her role as SAAC Advisor, Thomas meets with student-athletes on a regular basis to organize different civic engagements in the community. Thomas' love for Baruch is evident, commuting two hours each way on the train to get to campus in time for a jam-packed day. With quite a lot on her plate, balancing the workload has never been a challenge to Thomas when you love what you do.
"I love my job. I love going to work every day. Heather [Mac Culloch] is very flexible with me and the student-athletes have adjusted to my schedule. I have great family support at home as well. The drive of the student-athletes is so incredible. I'm so proud of them and that's what keeps me going. I love my job because of the people I work with and the people I work for, which are the student-athletes," said Thomas.
Like many, Thomas found her day-to-day changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and although she saves herself the hassle of a long work commute, serving Baruch's student-athletes remains at the forefront.
"My commuting hours have now turned into more working hours," said Thomas. "Since I'm not on campus, I get more emails, calls and texts from students. I'm still able to help the students easily, and I have a good rapport with the staff at Baruch. I welcome it all, I never turn anyone away."
A native of Minnesota, Thomas has been involved in athletics much of her life, playing many different sports including volleyball, softball and ice hockey. But her entry into college athletics came through coaching, getting her first taste of coaching experience as a senior in high school.
Thomas landed her first collegiate coaching gig at Mesabi Range College, and following a strong stint with the Norsemen, Thomas made her way to the east coast, ultimately getting the head coach position at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Thomas spent two years at the iconic fashion institution, transforming the Tigers into one of the perennial NJCAA programs in the Northeast region. F.I.T went 56-9 in two seasons under Thomas, highlighted by a seventh-place finish at the 2013 NJCAA Division III National Championship. Under the tutelage of Thomas, she produced three All-Americans and earned NJCAA Region XI Coach of the Year accolades in 2012 and 2013.
"We were so successful because of the commitment and the drive of the student-athletes. We were so versatile and diverse, and volleyball was their life," said Thomas.
Following her brief, yet successful tenure with the Tigers, Thomas went on to coach three seasons at Baruch. The Bearcats produced 13 CUNYAC All-Stars under Thomas' guidance, while winning the CUNYAC regular season title in 2015 and being crowned the league's Coach of the Year.
"What I loved about coaching in CUNYAC was the small town in a big city feeling among the conference," said Thomas. "Everyone was so positive, no matter the outcome. Also, the CUNYAC Championship vibe is incredible. The conference does a great job making it feel like a true championship environment. The signage and everything are really fun."
Thomas concluded her collegiate coaching career with four Coach of the Year citations, something she credits to the mutual commitment and drive between herself and her players.
"I always gave my student-athletes 110% every single time I went out there," commented Thomas. "I always made sure there was a plan and I always made sure there was fun in it because this is a sport that they love."
With over 25 years of coaching experience, Thomas believes that her coaching background compliments her current role at Baruch very well.
"I was already aware of some of the bylaws and how our athletic department ran because it's important to know the background," said Thomas. "You can't just show up, coach, and be done. There's administrative work, there's a lot more to it. I knew what was going on in the background, and I had an upper hand because I already knew a lot of the student-athletes."
With so much involvement with student-athletes, Thomas knows the importance of drive and time management for a student to have a successful collegiate experience.
"A student-athlete must possess the drive to want to succeed. We have student-athletes that commute from all over New York City," said Thomas. "Being sure they are managing their time correctly is important. Once their schedule is set, then they can start filling in the gaps."
Thomas has experienced much joy working in college athletics, watching so many students go on to succeed in many ways other than winning a championship.
"To me, success isn't just measured in championships. It's knowing that they're able to study at one of the most prestigious institutions and get to play the sport they are incredibly passionate about. Then having them come back on Alumni Day to speak to current student-athletes and just reminisce about the amazing student-athlete experience they had at Baruch. That puts a big smile on my face and is one of my favorite days of the year," said Thomas.