Willis Pooler begins his 10th year as Lindsey Wilson College's director of athletics with the start of the 2012-13 season.

Under Pooler's direction, Lindsey Wilson athletics has become one of the top NAIA programs in the nation.

Since 2003, the number of student-athletes has increased more than 70 percent, including the initiation of the first football program in 75 years, men's wrestling, men's and women's swimming and a women's basketball junior varsity program.

Pooler was instrumental in aiding with the designs of the Lindsey Wilson Sports Park -- home of the baseball, football, softball and track & field programs -- and the Doris and Bob Holloway Health & Wellness Center -- home of LWC wrestling and men's and women's swimming.

Pooler has helped the Lindsey Wilson athletics department's fundraising to an all-time high. With his efforts, fundraising has increased 65 percent in nine years, including the annual Athletic Auction setting records in each year under Pooler's direction.

Pooler continues outreach programs within the Adair County-Columbia communities. The athletic department partnered with the Adair County Little League to build an indoor practice facility for baseball and softball. His athletic department programs provide instruction to the youth and are involved in such community projects as road side clean-ups and volunteering at local schools.

During the 2011-12 academic year, the cumulative grade point average of all varsity student-athletes was a 3.09. A LWC record 36 varsity student-athletes were named NAIA Scholar-Athletes during 2011-12 and 85 student-athletes earned Academic All Mid-South Conference honors. Twelve teams were honored as NAIA Scholar Team for having a team grade point average of at least 3.00.

Pooler's direction has enabled Lindsey Wilson athletics to make significant steps to becoming one of the elite athletic programs in the NAIA. Lindsey Wilson finished fifth last season in the United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup presented annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), United States Sports Academy and USA TODAY, which is a season-long competition that awards points based on postseason finish within a sport. The Blue Raiders have finished in the top-10 in the Directors' Cup the past six out the last nine seasons.

Pooler also led Lindsey Wilson to the Mid-South Conference President's Cup -- the conference's all-sports trophy -- with a Cup record 115.5 points out of a possible 120 points in 2011-12. The Cup win is the second for Lindsey Wilson since joining the MSC.

Pooler was selected by his peers as MSC Athletics Director of the Year in 2011-12. The honor is the third for Pooler who was also honored in 2004-05 and 2006-07. He earned NAIA Region XI Athletics Director of the Year in 2004-05 and 2006-07.

Prior to becoming director of athletics, Pooler led the Lindsey Wilson women's soccer program for three seasons. In his three years, Pooler guided the Blue Raiders to a 57-13-2 record, including the program's first appearance in the NAIA Women's Soccer National Semifinals.

Pooler led the Blue Raiders to the program's first two 20-win seasons and a 27-2-2 all-time home record. Pooler was named the Mid‑South Conference Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2002 and NAIA Region XI and NSCAA NAIA‑South Coach of the Year in 2001.

Before taking over the LWC women's program in 2000, Pooler spent five seasons as an assistant coach for the Lindsey Wilson men's soccer team, which won NAIA National Championships in 1995, 1996, 1998 and 1999.

A native of Tampa, Florida, Pooler is a 1993 Lindsey Wilson graduate. He was captain of the Blue Raider soccer team in 1992, the same year the Blue Raiders reached the NAIA National Tournament for the first time.

He was a two‑time All‑KIAC midfielder, and ranks 28th on the school's list of career scoring leaders with 54 points in his three seasons.

Profile

Birthdate: June 27, 1970

Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Education

High School: Leto High 1988

College: Lindsey Wilson College 1993

Contact Information

Office: Athletic House

Phone: 270-384-8186

Fax: 270-384-8078

Mail: 210 Lindsey Wilson Street, Columbia, KY 42728

E-Mail: poolerw@lindsey.edu