Sybil Blalock, Mercer University’s senior associate athletics director for academic affairs and senior woman administrator, has been named to the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee as announced this afternoon. Blalock will serve a five-year term beginning in September.
Blalock will assist with the planning, selection and administration of the NCAA Division I women’s basketball championships. Her responsibilities will involve regular teleconferencing on prevalent issues as well as administrative duties on-site during the regional and Final Four competitions.
“For most of my life, I have been a basketball junky to say the least and my enthusiasm for the game has developed over the years as a player, coach and administrator,” said Blalock. “To now be named as a member of the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee is a true honor. I look forward to working with the committee as we strive to enhance the postseason experience for all of our women’s basketball student-athletes.”
Blalock has more than 25 years of experience in NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics to her credit as both a coach and administrator. She recently completed a two-year term as the chair of the NCAA Division I men’s and women’s tennis committee and has served on numerous sport committees with the Atlantic Sun Conference. She has also served as the tournament director for both the tennis and volleyball championships for the A-Sun.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed working on the NCAA Division I Tennis Committee for the past four years,” said Blalock. “It has been my good fortune to work with devoted committee members and experience excellent leadership provided by the NCAA staff. I know this endeavor will prove to be very valuable as I become a member of the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee next fall.”
Blalock currently is the tournament director for the A-Sun Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships which are being hosted by Mercer on March 3-6. The Bears are also the host site for the A-Sun Championships again in 2011.
“Sybil’s lifelong career in athletics bodes well for her as she assumes this role with the NCAA women’s basketball committee,” Athletic Director Bobby Pope said. “She is one of the most organized and professional individuals I’ve ever met, and I have no doubt she will do an outstanding job. This appointment is not only a great honor for her, but also for this institution as well.”
Blalock has not only served Mercer as a coach and administrator, directing the academic support services that have helped vault Mercer student-athletes among the A-Sun’s best, but was a pioneer of its women’s basketball program (playing for the Bears from1971-75). A WNIT All-American in 1975, Blalock’s name is still prominently etched in the MU record books. She ranks among the school’s career leaders in points scored with 1,856 (5th), a scoring average of 18.9 ppg (4th) and a shooting percentage of 53.4 percent (4th).
Blalock owns the eighth-best single-season scoring average ever accomplished by a Mercer player when she averaged 21.9 points per game in 1972-73. She also has two of the program’s top-10 season-best marks for field goal percentage, ranking No. 4 with her 61.8 percent in 1972-73 and No. 6 with a 57.3 percent clip in 1973-74.
With a composite record of 87-13 (an 87.0 winning percentage) during her career, Blalock-led MU teams had more success than any other over a four-year span in program history. The Bears were Southwest Athletic Conference, as well as SWAC tournament champions, her freshman season and AIAW regional champs during her sophomore campaign. Mercer repeated its AIAW regional title during her junior season and advanced to the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (making it to the round of 16).
Blalock graduated from Mercer magna cum laude with her bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physical education, as well as a master’s degree in applied mathematics.
Before beginning her career as an athletics administrator, Blalock played professionally in both Europe and the United States. She was a member of the U.S. team that played in the World University Games and was also a part of the U.S. Olympic Development Team.
