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Canisius University Athletics

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Lisa Liotta

Lisa Liotta

Lisa Liotta, a member of the Canisius athletic department staff since 2018, was elevated to the role of Deputy Director of Athletics in October 2023. She oversees internal operations and all aspects of the student-athlete experience, working closely with Canisius' coaching and student-services staffs to ensure a quality experience for the University’s 400-plus student-athletes in competition, in the classroom and within the campus community.  
 
She serves as the sport administrator for seven varsity sport programs: hockey, women’s basketball, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country/track, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, women’s lacrosse and rowing. Liotta represents Canisius as treasurer on the Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) Board of Directors and serves on the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Council of Athletic Administrators. In 2023, she began a five-year term as a member of the NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Committee, while also serving as the chairperson of the MAAC Swimming and Diving Committee.

Additionally, in the summer of 2023, Liotta was selected to participate in the Women Leaders In Sports Executive Institute (EI). EI prepares and positions women for advancement to the highest level by providing an immersive development experience that coaches on executive leadership skills and career strategy. In 2021-22, she was one of 22 senior-level athletic administrators selected by the NCAA leadership development team to participate in the NCAA Pathways Program. The NCAA Pathways Program is a year-long experiential learning opportunity for senior administrators committed to becoming athletic directors or conference commissioners.     
 
Liotta joined the Golden Griffin athletic department after spending three years as the associate director of athletics for student-athlete welfare and SWA at the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio. At Findlay, Liotta collaborated with various parties on campus and the local community to ensure student-athlete academic success while also helping implement a development program for over 700 student-athletes targeting personal, professional and academic growth. She served as the Oilers’ Deputy Title IX Coordinator, instructed a first-year experience class, served as various NCAA and Conference tournament directors, and helped orchestrate and implement the department strategic plan.

In addition to her responsibilities at Findlay, Liotta served as a senior member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC) Administrative Athletic Council, the NCAA DII Women’s Soccer National Committee, NCAA DII Championships Committee, and the American Heart Association Executive Committee of Hancock County.
 
Prior to her time at Findlay, Liotta was the associate athletic director and SWA at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio. There she managed all department operations, worked closely with the school’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and served as liaison between Lake Erie College, Painesville City School District and Painesville City Parks and Recreation Department by cultivating a positive relationship enabling coexistence within shared facilities at Kiwanis Recreation Park.  Liotta assisted the department and College with the successful two-year transition from NCAA DIII to DII athletics. 

Throughout her time in Painesville, Liotta was an active member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC), serving on various committees and representing Storm athletics. In 2015, she was named ECAC (Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference) Division II Female Administrator of the Year. 
 
Liotta began her professional career at Lake Erie College, where she served as the school’s athletic facilities and event management coordinator and assistant softball coach before being elevated to the assistant director of athletics/SWA in 2011.

She is a member of Women Leaders in College Sports, where she has served on the organization's Education and Awards Committees. Liotta is also a graduate of the NCAA Pathways Program, the Women Leaders Institute for Administrative Advancement and participated in the NACDA/ADA NCAA Division II Mentor Program (2012-2013) and NACDA DI-AAA Mentoring Program (2019-2020). 
 
Liotta is a magna cum laude graduate of Baldwin Wallace University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sport management, business administration and athletic coaching. She was a three-year varsity player for the Yellow Jackets, serving as team captain and earning first team All-Ohio Athletic Conference all-academic and academic All-American honors.

The Chardon, Ohio, native completed her master’s degree in business administration from Lake Erie College and a business analytics advanced certificate from Canisius.
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