Erik Maas enters his third year as the Director of Athletics at Auburn University at Montgomery.
An administrator with more than 20 years of experience in leadership, management, and coaching in college athletics, was announced as the next Director of Athletics at Auburn University at Montgomery by Chancellor Dr. Carl A. Stockton on August 8, 2022.
The Warhawks soared to major success on the field and in the classroom in 2023-2024. The department's GPA increased from 3.39 in 2022-2023 to 3.45 this past academic year, including the highest GPA in any semester in the school's Division II era in the fall (3.54 GPA). 83 percent of Warhawk student-athletes earned a 3.0 GPA or higher, while all 11 AUM teams finished the school year with a 3.0 GPA. AUM also landed nine student-athletes on GSC All-Academic Teams, while men's soccer's William Blake and softball Gia Martin notched Academic All-American status. Martin was also named to the GSC Top 10, an award given to the top student-athlete in the league.
Big wins in the classroom helped lay the foundation on the field for the most successful season the Warhawks have had as an NCAA Division II institution. The volleyball team set NCAA-era program records for wins (24) and conference wins (12), while also earning its highest-ever finish in the regular season (third). The squad, for the second consecutive year, advanced to the GSC semifinals and made the school's first appearance in the NCAA South Regional rankings.
On the cross country course, both teams collected their highest finishes at the NCAA South Region championships to date (men - eighth, women - 11th), while the men's team brought home the school's first GSC Freshman of the Year and All-Region honoree.
On the pitch, the men's soccer team earned the school's highest-ever Top 25 ranking (No. 6) and made its third consecutive appearance in the GSC semifinals.
The women's basketball program also turned in its most successful season in NCAA Division II, with a DII-era record for wins (20) and conference wins (17). The team also earned its highest GSC regular season finish (fourth), hosted its first GSC tournament Super Tuesday game, and made its first GSC semifinals appearance.
The spring season saw three AUM teams play their way into NCAA regional berths. The women's tennis team secured its first-ever GSC tournament championship and made its third straight regional appearance. The AUM baseball team had a record-setting season with Division II-era bests in wins (32) and conference wins (20) along with its highest GSC regular season finish (second). The Warhawks also secured their first GSC tournament win, made their first NCAA South Regional appearance, and notched their first NCAA South Regional win. AUM softball capped the spring with their third GSC tournament championship and earned the region's top overall seed to host the NCAA South Region and NCAA South Super Region tournaments. The Warhawks conquered both tournaments to earn the program's second appearance in the NCAA Division II Championships and finished sixth in the country.
Maas joined the Warhawks from the University of Montevallo, a fellow Gulf South Conference institution, where he most recently served as Associate Athletic Director for Operations since 2020. Following six years on the Falcons' baseball coaching staff, Maas transitioned to an administrative role in 2016 as Assistant Athletic Director for Operations, a position he held until his promotion to Associate AD for Operations.
"We're very proud of the accomplishments that our athletic program has achieved as new members of NCAA Division II," said AUM Chancellor Stockton. "In selecting Erik as our new athletic director, we have found a proven leader who understands the competitive landscape of the Gulf South Conference. He also brings the blend of experience and ideas necessary for us to build off of our early momentum and establish ourselves as championship contenders across all programs. I want to thank Ms. Childers for serving in an acting role during our national search to find the right person to advance our athletic programs. We have that person in Erik and I look forward to welcoming him to campus and seeing him move our programs to new heights."
As Associate Athletic Director for Operations at Montevallo, Maas oversaw the department's business affairs, including its $7.1 million budget, while also supervising team budgets, travel, facilities, athletic communications, equipment, apparel, event and gameday operations, camp operations, and day-to-day operations.
Additionally, he served on the Montevallo Athletics Senior Leadership Team, which served more than 450 student-athletes and 40 staff members, the largest in the GSC, and had administrative oversight for men's soccer, softball, athletic grounds, and athletics communications. Montevallo recently finished fourth in the 2021-22 Gulf South Conference All-Sports Trophy, the highest finish in UM's NCAA DII history (1994). This was the second consecutive fourth place All Sports Trophy finish. This past year, Montevallo led the Gulf South Conference in GSC Honor Roll recipients for a second year in a row.
Maas was a member of the Montevallo Title IX Committee and numerous hiring committees within athletics and across the university. He also currently serves on the NCAA Division II Baseball Regional Advisory Committee.
Maas worked directly with the UM Director of Athletics on development and fundraising opportunities, where he served as a co-lead with all gifts and cultivation projects. He was directly involved with renovation projects at the Falcons' baseball, track and field/lacrosse, and soccer facilities, as well as securing the naming rights of Bob Riesener Stadium (baseball). He also played a key role in the construction of a new strength and conditioning facility and a locker room project at the baseball complex. He oversaw the athletic department's capital projects, as well as the more than 70 athletics revenue accounts, including camp accounts, facility rentals, and concessions. Maas was co-lead on securing annual corporate sponsorships and was responsible for the negotiation, management, and execution of the department's contracts with Coca-Cola, Under Armour, and Follett.
"I want to thank Chancellor Stockton for his leadership and belief in me," Maas said. "I would also like to thank Vice Chancellor Parsons and the entire search committee for giving me the opportunity to lead AUM's athletic department into our next exciting chapter. I am honored to be able to continue building on AUM's storied tradition of success on the field and in the classroom. The entire Warhawks' athletic department is wrapped in passion and I am excited to join that passion. I cannot wait to get on campus and get to work with our outstanding student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and stakeholders."
Maas spent his first six years on the Montevallo baseball coaching staff, the final four as Associate Head Coach. His responsibilities with the team included oversight of the pitching staff, recruiting, scholarship budgets, gameday operations, academic monitoring, strength and conditioning, and field maintenance.
Joining a team that posted a 13-36 record the season before his arrival, Maas helped the Falcons to four Peach Belt Conference tournaments, including the tournament championship game in 2013 and 2014, and national rankings in three seasons. He recruited and developed 14 All-PBC selections, eight All-Region performers, and five Southeast Region Gold Glove winners while helping six players sign professional contracts. In the classroom, 21 student-athletes earned All-Peach Belt Conference Academic Team accolades, and the baseball team posted six consecutive semesters with a 3.0 or better team grade point average.
Before he arrived at Montevallo, Maas spent six summers working with the Alexandria Beetles, a collegiate wood-bat summer baseball team in the Northwoods League based in Alexandria, Minn. He served as pitching coach for two summers and head coach for three summers, while serving as General Manager and Director of Operations from 2007-09. As GM/Director of Operations, Maas was responsible for organizational oversight including sales, fundraising, budgeting, strategic planning, marketing, merchandising, day-to-day operations, game day operations, and field/stadium operations. Maas also managed concessions, ticketing, community outreach, and camps, while also recruiting, hiring, training, and managing all front office staff, event staff, coaching staff, and collegiate players.
Maas also had coaching stops at Tennessee Wesleyan University (Assistant Baseball Coach/Recruiting Coordinator from 2006-07) and the University of North Alabama (Graduate Assistant Baseball Coach from 2003-06). Prior to an injury ending his playing career, Maas was a baseball student-athlete at his alma mater, Flagler College, from 1999-2001. He earned his bachelor's degree in communications, with a minor in advertising, in 2003 from Flagler and his master's in business administration from North Alabama in 2006.
