INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - UW-River Falls Associate Athletics Director Kellen Wells-Mangold was selected as one of 22 nationwide athletic administrators among all NCAA Divisions I-III to participate in the 2022-23 Pathway Program.

The program is a yearlong initiative designed to prepare senior-level athletics administrators for the next career step as directors of athletics or conference commissioners.

Wells-Mangold recently completed his sixth academic year at UW-River Falls, and oversees all UWRF Athletics NCAA compliance and student-athlete services. He also provides direct supervision of Falcon football, women's basketball, women's golf, and women's tennis, along with athletic training and strength & conditioning. 

The Pathway Program, under the direction of NCAA leadership development, is an intensive, experiential learning opportunity for selected participants who work at an NCAA school or conference in Divisions I, II or III. During the year, the 22 participants will be paired with and have regularly scheduled meetings with a campus or conference mentor. The program is designed to help cement their leadership purpose and enhance their skills in areas that focus on strategic planning; fundraising; message articulation; diversity, equity and inclusion; organizational leadership; hiring processes; and engagement with search firms. The 2022-23 cohort will meet June 5-9 for a weeklong education session. The program will conclude in the summer of 2023.

"The Pathway Program continues to be a signature offering that is highly impactful across the college sports landscape," said DeeDee Merritt, NCAA director of leadership development. "We are looking forward to embarking on a transformational journey with the 2022 cohort. I want to thank the Pathway selection committee for taking on the arduous task of steering an evaluation process that was filled with outstanding applicants."

The Pathway Program was created in 1997 and has produced more than 100 program alumni, with nearly 30% of the graduates moving on to become athletics directors or conference commissioners. Additionally, more than 70% of the program alumni have received some level of promotion in relation to their title or job responsibilities.

The NCAA also has a presidential pledge that ties to its commitment around diverse hiring, which links to the visibility and eventual elevation of ethnic minorities and women to executive positions. Additionally, the NCAA's eight-point plan also ties to the Association's desire to raise hiring numbers as it relates to ethnic minorities and women.