(Courtesy of the Commonwealth Coast Conference)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Shannon O’Brien has been named the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Assistant Commissioner for Sports Information, it was announced this week by Commissioner Gregg M. Kaye.

O’Brien comes to the CCC following a two-year stint as Associate Director of the Presidents’ Athletics Conference (PAC), a 10-member NCAA Division III athletic conference with institutions in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky.  Her tenure at the PAC was made possible through the NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women’s Internship Grant Program.

Among her numerous accomplishments at the PAC, O’Brien supervised the PAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), served as point person for the PAC “Winning Careers in Athletics for Women” workshop, and presented “Defining the Educational Value of the Division III Intercollegiate Athletics Experience” at the 2011 NCAA Convention.  She was also instrumental in developing and organizing the PAC’s first-ever conference-wide SAAC initiative, while also identifying ways to successfully activate the Division III Identity Initiative.

O’Brien completed her Master of Science degree in student personnel administration at the State University of New York College at Buffalo.  She previously earned a Bachelor of Science degree in sport management at Medaille College (N.Y.), where she was a four-year NCAA Division III softball student-athlete.

Originally from Cheektowaga, N.Y., O’Brien possesses vast experience in collegiate athletics and conference office administration.  Prior to her two years at the PAC, O’Brien served internships at Division III Buffalo State, Division I University of Buffalo, the Division III Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference, and the Buffalo Bisons Triple-A baseball franchise.

As Assistant Commissioner for Sports Information, O’Brien will oversee compilation of conference and NCAA statistics for all CCC sports, spearhead administration of the CCC awards program, and will also help direct the upcoming redesign of the conference website. Additionally, she will be charged with collaborating with CCC institutional sports information personnel to continue increasing the league’s presence on various social media platforms.

O’Brien will also assist with conference championship administration, while also working with the CCC’s Senior Woman Administrators to develop program ideas.  She will also be charged to help guide the CCC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

“The CCC is extremely fortunate to welcome Shannon to our conference,” stated Kaye. “Shannon’s experience as a Division III student-athlete, coupled with her experience and accomplishments at the PAC make her a perfect fit to serve our 10 member institutions.  She is passionate about the role of college athletics in student development and understands first-hand how athletics and academics contribute to the total educational experience of Division III student-athletes. I am looking forward to working with Shannon.”

O’Brien will begin her duties at the CCC on August 1.