03/11/26 - Leadership transition in NKU Athletics

Dear NKU Colleagues,

I am writing to inform you of an upcoming change in NKU Athletics' leadership. Our Vice President and Director of Athletics, Christina Roybal, has led NKU Athletics since 2022. She has announced that she will not seek a contract extension in order to pursue other opportunities. Christina has achieved what she came to accomplish and will complete her service at NKU on May 30. Please join me in congratulating her on her success and thanking her for her service to NKU as our AD.

Christina has led through a time of major change in Division I athletics. During Christina’s tenure, she has led departmental change, growth, and innovation. She has hired a bevy of superb coaches and staff. During her tenure, men’s basketball, softball, and baseball won Horizon League Tournament championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The softball and baseball championships were the first in NKU's program history. Most recently, women’s volleyball earned the Horizon League regular-season championship. Under her administration, NKU student-athletes achieved school-record departmental GPAs and a record-high graduation success rate of 92%, continuing NKU’s history of academic success and student commitment in the classroom. NKU Athletics also earned multiple marketing awards from the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators during her tenure. Most notably, Christina expanded athletic opportunities, including adding six new programs (men’s volleyball, stunt, men’s and women’s swimming, and men’s and women’s triathlon). 

With Christina’s planned departure, it is time for us to begin the search for our next AD. Vice President Chris Calvert has agreed to chair an expedited search with a representative committee. Thanks to the support of the NKU Foundation, we will engage a search firm with expertise in recruiting athletics leadership. With the many strengths at NKU and in NKU Athletics, I am confident that we will be fortunate to find and hire another excellent Vice President and Director of Athletics to usher in the next era. We are focused on an exciting future for NKU Athletics and continuing our tradition of excellence in competition and in the classroom. I will provide more information about the search process as the details are fleshed out. 

Please join me in thanking Christina for her service to Northern Kentucky University and wishing her well in her future endeavors.

Best Regards,

Cady