PoA069 | Bridget Niland, Daemen College

Bridget Niland, a native of Williamsville, NY, was appointed Director of Athletics/Special Assistant to the President in July of 2014.  A member of the Daemen faculty since 2006, Niland has served the College as an Associate Professor in the Business Administration Department where she oversees the Sport Management specialization and business law curriculum.  Prior to joining the Daemen faculty, Niland served as an Associate Director of Academic and Membership Affairs at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind.  Niland joined the NCAA after working as a trial attorney with United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., which followed a two-year federal clerkship with the Honorable John T. Curtin in the Western District of New York.

She continues to serve as a consultant to the NCAA National Office on legislative and membership matters and works with USA Collegiate Sports, an affiliate of the Harris Beach, PLLC.  Prior to being named Director of Athletics, Niland served as Daemen’s Faculty Athletic Representative as the college began its transition to NCAA Division II membership.

Niland earned her bachelor’s degree at the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB) where she captained the school’s cross country and track and field teams, which earned multiple conference championships. While at UB, Niland won individual conference championships in both cross country and track and field and established several school records. She also served as chair of the NCAA national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee from 1996 through 1998. Niland earned a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from its Graduate School of Education and a law degree from the SUNY Buffalo School of Law, while serving as a Graduate Assistant/Compliance Assistant in UB’s Division of Athletics. She is in the final stages of completing her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy through UB’s Graduate School of Education.

Niland was inducted into UB’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002 and named to the Buffalo Business First 40 Under 40 in 1996.

[Courtesy: Daemen Athletics Web Site]

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