Garrett Knudson joined the UNCW athletic staff as an Academic Coordinator and Director of Student-Athlete Development on February 8, 2016.
Prior to joining the SASS staff full time, Knudson completed two internships; one in the Student-Athlete Support Services office at his alma mater, Radford, followed by a brief stint as an intern at UNCW.
At Radford, Knudson served as the primary advisor for the Women’s Track and Field team providing student-athletes with academic advisement, mentoring, and ensuring compliance with the NCAA, Big South Conference, and Institution. He also assisted in the maintenance and direction of study hall and the Learning Enhancement Center.
During his internship with UNCW, Knudson assisted in all aspects of the Student-Athlete Support Services office including life skills and community service programs. His main duties included scheduling of individual study hall hours and weekly meetings with student-athletes, the creation of weekly academic reports, and assisting with the monitoring NCAA eligibility requirements. Additionally, Knudson served as a mentor for academically at-risk student-athletes.
Knudson is the primary athletic academic coordinator for seven varsity sports, including the Men’s and Women’s Track and Field, Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Volleyball, Beach Volleyball, and Women’s Soccer. He advises more than 110 student-athletes to make sure they are meeting graduation and eligibility requirements set forth by the NCAA and UNCW.
In addition to his advising duties, Knudson is responsible for the Student-Athlete Development program. Knudson has incorporated a model of holistic development for all student-athletes relating to life skills and career readiness. He has partnered with various campus offices in the creation of multiple programs such as the UNCW Student-Athlete Leaderships Society, the UNCW Student-Athlete Speed Interview event, various Career Fairs, and other programs providing opportunities for student-athletes to gain skills to navigate their way during and after college.
Knudson is a member of the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A). In June 2018, Knudson and Assistant Athletic Director, Drew Scales, represented UNCW by presenting at the National N4A convention in Washington, DC, on a newly design program titled; Mandatory Guest Speaker “Follow-up Forums.” In addition, Knudson is a trained facilitator of the NCAA StepUp! Bystander Intervention program.
Knudson earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise, Sport, and Health Education from Radford where he was a member of the Division I Track and Field Program, competing in Shot Put, Hammer, and Discus events. In 2015, he completed his Master of Science in Sport Management at West Virginia.
Knudson is pursuing his Doctorate of Educational in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education at UNCW.
