Ericka Lavender
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Ericka Lavender joins LSU’s Cox Communications Center for Student-Athletes in her second stint. In her initial term in Tiger Athletics, Lavender oversaw the sports of Volleyball, Beach Volleyball, Men’s Basketball, and Women’s Track and Field.
Currently serving as Associate Director of Academic Affairs, Lavender is the athletic academic advisor for Men’s basketball, Women’s volleyball, and Beach volleyball. She is part of the ACSA Executive Leadership Team, Chair of the ACSA Academic Standards Policy committee, oversees the ACSA Graduate Assistant and Intern Development Program, and sits on various committees on campus.
From 2015-2020, Lavender served as Associate Athletic Director for Academic Services for The University of Toledo. In this role, she led the daily operations in coordinating academic support to approximately 450 student-athletes. Lavender was on the LSU staff from 2009-15, first as Assistant Director of Academic Affairs before being promoted to Associate Director of Academic Affairs in 2013. During her tenure in Toledo, the Student-Athlete Support Center won the Mid-American Conference Institutional Academic Achievement Award in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019, which achieves the highest overall institutional GPA for student-athletes competing for institutionally sponsored sports for the academic year.
The Steubenville, Ohio native began her career as an Athletic Academic Counselor at The Ohio State University (2003-08) before her role as Assistant Director of Academic Studies at North Carolina State University for one year before beginning her LSU career. Lavender earned her bachelor’s degree in Recreation Administration from Ashland University in 2000 and her master’s degree in Sports Administration from Xavier University in 2003. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Higher Education from the University of Toledo.
Lavender is an active member of both the National Association for Athletic Advisors (N4A), Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA), and Women Leaders in College Sports. Lavender is also involved in the Women Leaders Institute for Administrative Advancement development program.