The University of Nebraska Omaha Athletic Department names Dr. Gaylene Armstrong as the new Faculty Athletics Representative.
Armstrong's distinguished career, combined with her passion for athletics and commitment to student success, makes her the ideal candidate to fulfill this role.
"This is a pivotal moment in college athletics, and Omaha Athletics needs a faculty leader to serve as the bridge between 'student' and 'athlete,'" said UNO Chancellor Joanne Li. "With her own history in athletic competition and her commitment to excellence in academics and research, I can think of no one better than Dr. Armstrong to serve as UNO's first female Faculty Athletics Representative to support the success of our students in competition and in the classroom."
As the Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR), Armstrong will work closely with student-athletes, coaches and senior staff to provide guidance and support. Her responsibilities will include monitoring academic progress, ensuring compliance with NCAA and conference regulations, and promoting a culture of academic excellence within the athletic department.
"We are grateful for the decades of service by Dr. Bill Wakefield and incredibly excited to have Dr. Armstrong as our new FAR. As a former standout student-athlete, Dr. Armstrong is very much in tune with the student-athlete experience and the current landscape of intercollegiate athletics. We look forward to using her expertise as we continue to strategically enhance our integrations with our campus and faculty," said Vice Chancellor / Director of Athletics Adrian Dowell.
"I appreciate the trust of Chancellor Li and Vice Chancellor Dowell," Armstrong said. "Serving as the FAR is an amazing and unique opportunity to support our student-athletes. I am humbled to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Bill Wakefield who served in this position for a very long time and did an outstanding job. The FAR position is really a dream come true."
Armstrong is the Director and Professor in the School of Criminology. In addition to her many academic accolades, Armstrong brings a passion for athletics and providing support to students. She brings a background in sports, which includes her time playing competitive hockey in the Mid-Atlantic Women's Hockey League. Her career culminated in a USA Hockey Women's National Championship.
"Supporting my Maverick family of student-athletes is a natural extension of my lifelong involvement in sport," she said. "I learned a lot of important life lessons about positive leadership, grit, wellness and more through sports. I will be there to cheer them on our student-athletes at games, matches and meets, and along the way encourage them to dream with ambition and know that anything is possible in sport and in life."
As FAR, Armstrong will play a vital role in connecting the campus community with athletics. She will meet regularly with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, serve as an adviser for university officials, promote wellness and academic success, among other things.
"I am most looking forward to being an important part of the stellar team that works so diligently to ensure the well-being of our student-athletes and supporting their top-quality education at UNO. My goal is that my professional experience serves as a force multiplier to the administrative team that is contextualized by my experience as an athlete. I hope I can bring added insight, energy and ideas to challenges and initiatives before us. Most importantly, I hope to be a positive role model and support to all of our student-athletes."
