Indiana State names Prettyman new Athletics Director

TERRE HAUTE, IN (3-31-2005) - Indiana State University has hired Ron Prettyman to be the university’s new director of intercollegiate athletics, Indiana State President Lloyd W. Benjamin III announced Thursday.

“Ron brings an extensive background in athletics administration and comes from a prominent and respected athletics program,” Benjamin said. “His enthusiasm and knowledge should serve us well as we work to continue to build our athletics program. Mr. Reed Kidder and the members of the search committee should be commended for bringing this process to such a successful conclusion.”

Prettyman, currently the athletic director at California State University at Dominguez Hills, will assume the Indiana State position July 1. Retiring Indiana State athletic director Andrea Myers will continue until then on a half-time basis.

“(Indiana State) University has a stellar reputation in the NCAA with one of the finest academic records in the nation,” Prettyman said during his visit to campus. “This will continue to be a priority. But a close second priority will be the enhancement of a winning tradition.”

“ISU has been and can again be the gem of the region. I hope the people of Indiana will join with me to support ISU Intercollegiate Athletics as we all strive to make Sycamore athletics the program that everyone wants to be associated with and have fun doing it.”

The search was facilitated by consultant Elizabeth Alden who assembled a strong pool of candidates. Prettyman was part of a final group of four candidates for the position, a pool that included Stephen Downing of Texas Tech University, Richard Dull of California State University Northridge, and Steven P. Holton of Northern Arizona State.

Prettyman will report to Tom Ramey, vice president of student affairs and dean of students at Indiana State. Ramey noted that Prettyman is well connected in the NCAA. “He has served on various committees and task forces,” Ramey observed. “That connection will be very valuable to Indiana State.”

Prettyman holds a bachelor’s degree in health, physical education and recreation from Vanguard University and a master’s degree in education from California State University at Stanislaus.

Prior to his time at California State-Dominguez Hiills, where he has been since 1995, Prettyman served as athletics director at Vanguard University, where he had also been an associate professor of health, physical education and recreation classes, and head coach for the men’s and women’s tennis teams, baseball and women’s basketball teams.

Prettyman was named NCAA/NACDA Administrator of the Year in 2004 and is a past president of both the NCAA Division II Athletic Directors Association and the California Collegiate Athletic Association. During his 10-year tenure as AD at California State Dominguez Hills, the school has won a NCAA Division II men’s soccer national championship and was national runner-up in 2001. The school has hosted the NCAA Division II Final Four women’s soccer championship and first and second round NCAA Division II men’s soccer championships.

He was NAIA District III Administrator of the Year in 1991, 1992 and 1994, and was on the LA 2012 Olympic Bid Committee in 2001. He is a member of the Carson Coordinating Council and Carson Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors, and a past member of the Gardena/Carson YMCA Executive Board, LA Watts Summer Games Advisory Committee, Pigskin Classic Organizing Committee and Professional In-Residence Program at the NCAA/Betty Ford Center.

Prettyman was also selected by his peers to serve on two NCAA national committees as well as the executive committee of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and National Directors Cup Executive Committee.

Prettyman and Carol, his wife of 29 years, have two children, Shara, 26, and Ronnie, 23.

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