Cindy Potter is in her 23rd year at Columbia College and was promoted to Director of Athletics on September 10, 2024, while serving as Senior Deputy Director of Athletics from 2020-24. Formerly the Associate Director of Athletics and Director of Media Relations and Compliance, Potter is perhaps the most decorated Sports Information Director in NAIA history.
She is a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and was appointed to the national board of directors in 2011 to serve a three-year term, becoming the first ever NAIA member to serve in that capacity. Fast forward to 2018 when Potter was selected to the organizations officer rotation, making her not only the first ever NAIA member to serve as CoSIDA President but the first ever female not from an NCAA Division I institution to take the role. She was passed the gavel in the summer of 2021.
In addition to her service with CoSIDA, Potter has been a member a countless NAIA National Committees, including the National Administrative Council, Council of Presidents and RISE (Respect, Inclusivity, Support, Education). She currently serves as the American Midwest Conference's representative on the National Administrative Council, serving on the Experience and Enhancement committee as well as representing on the National Drug Testing and Education Committee.
In 2008 Potter received the CoSIDA College Division Rising Star award for her dedication to the profession and in the summer of 2020 she was named the recipient of the CoSIDA Warren Burg award which is presented to a college division member who has made outstanding contributions to the field of sports information.
She is currently the Past-President of the board for the NAIA division of Sports Information Directors after serving a three-year role as president. She was named the Co-Sports Information Director of the Year for the American Midwest Conference in 2020 and also was named the 2020 recipient of the Clarence ‘Ike’ Pearson award. The Award is the association's highest honor for sports information directors and recognizes its honoree for accomplishments and service performed over their career.
She served as interim athletic director in 2019 following the departure of long time men's basketball coach and athletic director Bob Burchard and became Columbia College's first associate athletic director in the summer of 2011. Directly overseeing all operations for the softball, women's basketball, athletic training, men's lacrosse, women's bowling, men's and women's cross country and men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field teams. Previously she was named the assistant director of athletics/media relations and compliance in 2007 after holding the title of Coordinator of Athletic Information and Compliance. Prior to her appointment to this position, she was a graduate assistant in the Cougar athletic department. In January 2005, while completing her undergraduate degree, she had a demanding but rewarding three months when she filled in as the acting Sports Information Director.
Potter played with the Cougar softball team for two years where she was a captain and awarded NAIA Scholar Athlete, All-Conference, All-Region and National Tournament All-Tournament Team. In the fall of 2012 she was inducted into the Columbia College Athletic Hall of Fame for her softball contributions as a player. Prior to Columbia College Potter attended Three Rivers Junior College in Poplar Bluff, Missouri where she played basketball, volleyball and softball. She graduated with her Associate of Arts degree in 2002 and was an All-Conference player for the Raiders.
During her work as a graduate assistant, Cindy graduated from Columbia College with her Master of Arts in Teaching. Previous to this she was Assistant Coach for the Cougar softball team and received her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a major in education and a minor in psychology.
She coached for Team in Training (TNT), a marathon training group that raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Potter started coaching for TNT in May of 2006 and was nationally certified running coach. Having run more than ten full/half/relay marathons herself, she has coached over 45 individuals to the finish line in just three years of coaching.
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Potter currently calls Columbia home with her husband Cory, their daughter Caitlynn Jae (CJ) and their son Chase.
