Tim Collins Named New Director of Athletics at EWU

Eastern Washington University is excited to introduce Tim Collins as the new Associate Vice President/Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. The appointment was made by President Shari McMahan after a nationwide search and campus forums that included two finalists.

Collins, who currently serves as the senior associate athletics director for development at Fresno State in California, brings more than 18 years of intercollegiate athletics experience both in executive leadership positions and as a college basketball coach.

“Tim Collins brings an impressive track record of leadership, collaboration and fundraising that will help strengthen Eastern athletics and ensure the success of students on and off the field,” says President McMahan.”

At Fresno, Collins was a member of the athletics department’s executive staff that implements strategic direction, establishes academic and compliance standards, ensures equity, fosters inclusion, defines budget expectations, and promotes student-athlete welfare for 18 NCAA Division I varsity programs. Collins will lead a department at EWU that includes 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women.

“I want to thank President McMahan for trusting in my ability to lead and steward an athletics department with such a strong history and vibrant connection to our campus and community,” says Collins. “As the search process unfolded, it was clear to me that her vision included a strong athletics department that was representative of a thriving campus. Our department will have an unwavering commitment to the holistic development of our 300-plus student athletes, and we will take every opportunity to serve and represent the EWU campus – from our students to our faculty and staff.”

Collins received his bachelor’s degree in humanities, with an emphasis in political science, from Loyola Marymount in 2005. He completed a master’s degree in organizational management and sport administration from Chadron State in 2008. Collins began his professional career as an assistant basketball coach, which included two years at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. He and his wife, Renee, have a nine-year-old daughter, Kennedy, and a seven-year-old son, James. July 15 will mark his first day at EWU.

Collins will officially be introduced during a press conference tentatively set for noon, Thursday, June 22, in the EWU Student-Athlete Academic Success Center adjacent to Reese Court. This will be his first media availability. His full biography can be found here.

In the meantime, President McMahan’s chief of staff, Mark Baldwin, will provide administrative oversight of the athletic department to ensure leadership continuity after the retirement of former athletic director Lynn Hickey. Baldwin will primarily be responsible for financial oversight and personnel management.

President McMahan also thanked search committee members for their work throughout the process, as well as the many faculty, staff and Eastern alumni and supporters who provided valuable input during the search process.

The search committee included the following people: