Brandy Thurston began her career at Morrisville State in 2001 as the director of sports information and continued that role as she became the college’s first Senior Woman Administrator for athletics in 2006. In January 2011, Thurston was promoted to assistant director of athletics. She was named the associate director of athletics for compliance and sports information in 2015.
Thurston is responsible for overseeing the sports information / athletic communications operation for 16 intercollegiate athletic teams, managing the department’s web-site, and acts as a liaison between the media and the SUNY Morrisville coaching staff and student-athletes, in addition to participating in department initiatives and responsibilities. She also oversees game day experience operations, including operational intern and student staff.
In her time as director of sports information, Morrisville has had an increased media presence with national recognition, and has moved forward with developing and executing social media strategies, alongside web cast and live stat initiatives and web-site redesign.
Administratively, Thurston directs the compliance program for the athletic department, along with other associated administrative duties. In two years under her direction, she has developed procedures and policies to monitor and ensure compliance with all NCAA Division III and conference rules and regulations, and is responsible for providing training and education to Morrisville staff and students regarding compliance issues. Thurston is responsible for verifying student eligibility to participate and serves as a compliance liaison to the NCAA and North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC).
Aside from her duties within the athletics department, Thurston has served as a representative on several college committees, including the New York State Fair Planning Committee, Campus Traditions Committee, Marketing Committee and Mustang Weekend Committee.
Thurston served as the vice chair for the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) sports information directors committee before fulfilling a two-year stint as chair of the group. She has also held stints as the Senior Woman Administrators chair for the NEAC group, along with serving as the SWA representative on several conference committees, including the strategic planning committee and Presidents Cup award committee.
She is currently serving in the vice chair role for a second time for the SWA group, and is the administrative liaison for the United East cross country coaches.
Throughout her time at Morrisville, she also held several coaching positions in addition to serving as SID. For three years, Thurston was an assistant with the women’s basketball program before serving in a dual role as head coach of the field hockey and women’s lacrosse programs for the next seven years. In 2004 she coached the women’s lacrosse team to a Region III runner-up title, and fourth place finish at the NJCAA National Championships. Under her direction, several earned all-Conference and All-American accolades, along with Academic All-American honors.
Thurston earned her Masters of Science degree in sports management with a concentration in intercollegiate athletics from SUNY Cortland in 2011. She earned her Bachelors of Science degree from LeMoyne College in 1999 and is a graduate of SUNY Morrisville (1995).
She is a 2022 NCAA DIvision III SWA Immersion Program participant, a 2021 Women Leaders in College Sports Institute for Administrative Advancement graduate, a 2007 East NACWAA/HERS graduate and a 2003 graduate of the Ahern, Murphy & Associates Leadership Development Institute.
