Since Sandy Hatfield Clubb began her tenure as athletic director, Drake athletics has gained stature and prominence in the community and recognition nationwide.  Quickly and emphatically Hatfield Clubb has changed the landscape of Drake athletics, both figuratively and literally.

A new era in Drake athletics began May 30, 2006, when Hatfield Clubb was named the school’s 16th athletic director.

The appointment of Hatfield Clubb, who was the senior associate director of athletics and senior women’s administrator at Arizona State, further solidified Drake's reputation as a leading institution for the student-athlete experience.

“Sandy Hatfield Clubb has continued to build on the wonderful progress Drake Athletics has achieved through the years,” commented Drake President David Maxwell. “She has a national reputation of great success in all facets of athletics administration at a major Division I institution and, at the same time, she has an understanding of and passion for the distinctive role of athletics at Drake University.

“Sandy’s focus is on the quality of experience for student-athletes and on the value of recreation and wellness programs for the entire community.  With her expertise, passion and considerable interpersonal skills, Sandy has been a model leader for Drake Athletics and a wonderful ambassador for the University as a whole.”

Hatfield Clubb's commitment to excellence in both academics and athletics is shown by the five Drake teams which advanced to NCAA and post-season play the last two years and the 235 student-athletes who achieved over a 3.0 GPA during the spring 2009 semester.

“Our entire athletics team, inclusive of coaches, staff and administrators, work daily to model the mission of the athletics department,” Hatfield Clubb said. “President Maxwell’s vision for excellence is well-articulated throughout the campus community. Because of Drake's focus on academic succsss and the true integration of the student-athletes, our commitment to excellence in athletics can be realized. Drake’s coaches and staff are among the best in the country and I enjoy partnering with them to create the Drake experience for our 350 student-athletes.”

Hatfield Clubb is the third woman to serve as athletic director in the Missouri Valley Conference. Hatfield Clubb is one of 25 women athletic directors at the 334 schools playing NCAA Division I basketball and the first in Iowa.

She is active in the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators, which strives to enhance college athletics and to promote the growth, leadership and success of women as athletics administrators, professional staff, coaches and student-athletes.

She is a member of the NCAA Men's Basketball Issues Committee and the WBCA Committee on Basketball Issues.  Hatfield Clubb also serves on the Board of Directors for Meals from the Heartland, The United Way, Character Counts in Iowa and the Iowa Sports Foundation.

An avid swimmer, Hatfield Clubb grew up in Bethesda, Md., and her husband, Jeff Clubb, is a native of Sigourney, Iowa. They are the parents of two children - a son, Tristan, and a daughter, Skyelar.

Hatfield Clubb earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in education from the University of Texas-El Paso. Upon graduation, she was assistant aquatics coach at Washington and Lee University from August 1989 through July 1990.

She joined Arizona State in 1990 as a management intern and became assistant to the director of athletics in 1992. She was promoted to assistant director of athletics for student and administrative services in 1996 and in this position she created a life skills program for student-athletes that has been recognized nationally as a Program of Excellence.

In 1998 Hatfield Clubb was named associate director of athletics for student and academic services at Arizona State. In 2002 she was promoted to ASU’s senior associate director of athletics and served as the senior woman administrator to the Pacific-10 Conference and the NCAA.

In her 16 years at Arizona State, Hatfield Clubb had a broad range of experience in all aspects of athletics administration, from direct oversight and administration of intercollegiate programs, compliance and academic support, management, personnel and budget, to fundraising and community relations. She had extensive experience in representing the university as a whole, to alumni, supporters, and the Greater Phoenix community, as well as national organizations and corporations.