DANVILLE, Ky. - After a nationwide search, Centre College announced the hiring of Morgan DeSpain as its new Associate Athletic Director for Business Operations and Compliance.

DeSpain previously spent nine years working for the NCAA in various roles in the Championships and Alliances department, eventually working her way to the position of Assistant Director of Championships and Alliances, a title she held from 2014-21. While with the NCAA, DeSpain served as championship manager for various NCAA competitions across all divisions and was a secondary liaison for the NCAA Division II Championship committee. Other roles from her tenure included overseeing the National Coordinator of Officials for NCAA women's lacrosse, negotiating operations and budgets for NCAA Championships and evaluating bid materials for potential NCAA Championship host cities.

"We are excited to welcome Morgan to the Centre Athletics family," said Brad Fields '98, Director of Athletics and Recreation at Centre College. "She brings a passion for intercollegiate athletics, for mentoring students and staff alike, and a lengthy background at the NCAA. Following a thorough search process, Morgan rose to the top as the person to join our team and continue to move us forward."

A 2006 graduate of the University of Kentucky, DeSpain earned a Master's degree in Sports Administration from Eastern Kentucky University in 2007. Beginning in 2021 and fueled by a desire to help people during the pandemic, DeSpain began pursuit of a Nursing degree, which she eventually earned from Marian University in 2023. Over the last several years DeSpain has worked as a registered nurse at three different medical facilities, most recently Baptist Health Perinatal Diagnostic Center.