WilmU’s Dr. Stefanie Whitby is AD of Year
for Central Athletic Collegiate Conference
February 9, 2026
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference has named Wilmington University Director of Athletics Dr. Stefanie Whitby its 2025-26 Athletics Director of the Year. She was selected through a vote of the conference’s Directors Council.
Dr. Whitby has led Wilmington University’s Athletics Department since February 2018. During her tenure, the University’s teams have earned 23 CACC championships, and the program has received six men’s Restaino Cup honors.
In the 2024-25 academic year, Wilmington University posted its best finish in the NCAA Division II Learfield Directors’ Cup standings, placing 74th, and recorded a 3.23 grade-point average. The Wildcats won five CACC championships, added two regular-season titles, advanced eight teams and an individual to NCAA championship events, and produced eight All-Americans.
“Dr. Whitby is a talented leader and administrator,” said CACC Commissioner Dan Mara in a press release. “Since assuming leadership of the WilmU athletics department, she has guided a strong era for the Wildcats, with a focus on student-athlete welfare and academic achievement while producing championship teams.”
Dr. Whitby credits her WilmU colleagues and shares the honor with them.
“This recognition reflects the work of our team,” she says. “Our coaches are exceptional, and our staff brings the same level of care and professionalism every day. They make all of us better, and I’m grateful to represent them.”
Dr. Whitby has overseen WilmU’s hosting of 10 NCAA regional or super-regional championships, and Wildcat student-athletes have recorded a departmental GPA of 3.0 or higher each semester during her tenure.
“I’m incredibly proud to see Dr. Stefanie Whitby recognized as the CACC Athletics Director of the Year,” says Senior Vice President & Chief Student Affairs Officer Dr. Tina Barksdale. “This honor reflects her leadership, clear vision, and deep commitment to our student-athletes. She leads with passion and heart, and she keeps their support and well-being at the center of everything we do—on the field and beyond. Her impact is felt across our entire Athletics program, and this recognition is truly well deserved.”
Dr. Whitby serves on the NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Tennis Selection Committees and is the CACC supervisor for men’s and women’s track and field. In 2025, she was named one of Delaware’s Most Influential People in Sports by The News Journal and Delaware Online.
Dr. Whitby holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Villanova University (1990), where she was an All-Big East performer in indoor track and field. She earned an master of education degree in education counseling from Temple University (1992) and a doctor of education degree in organizational leadership from WilmU.
WilmU is a private, nonprofit, open-access institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. It serves traditional students beginning their college careers, adult learners returning to school, and working professionals pursuing advancement. The University offers a wide range of degree and certificate programs designed to support career growth and real-world readiness through experience-rich curricula taught by expert practitioners. This model helps WilmU align learning with employer needs as workforce demands change.
Chartered in 1967, WilmU is a pioneer in serving adult learners, and its caring administration, faculty, and staff understand the realities many students balance as they pursue their goals. Students are supported through flexible learning formats, including many 100 percent online options, as well as on-site locations throughout Delaware and southern New Jersey. Delaware in-state tuition applies to all students, including out-of-state students, making programs affordable and accessible.