BETTY WISEMAN MISSION FUND

Q&A WITH

3RD YEAR AT BELMONT JAMES WOODY

ASSISTANT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR BUDGET AND FINANCE

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AT BELMONT AND WHAT HAS

KEPT YOU HERE? I am entering my third year at Belmont and what keeps me here is the people. Belmont Athletics is filled with genuine individuals that are focused on providing studentathletes with the best collegiate experience. They also care about each other and create a family environment.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE HERE? My role in athletics is to oversee business operations for the department. Some of my responsibilities include ensuring that we are following university and athletic financially policies, overseeing the process of accounts payable and receivable, and completing and submitting financial reports.

SPECIFICALLY, YOU WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR PROGRAMS FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT. WHAT DOES YOUR DAILY/MONTHLY/YEARLY WORK ENTAIL FROM THAT

STANDPOINT? On a daily basis, I interact with coaches and staff on approval of purchases and budget questions. On a monthly basis, I reconcile and provide coaches and staff with budget reports. Then on a yearly basis, I oversee the budget creation process for the next fiscal year and submit reports on the previous year’s revenues and expenditures to the EADA, Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act and the NCAA.

WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

YOU’VE EXPERIENCED AT BELMONT? My most rewarding professional experience at Belmont was my creation of an interactive budget template. The Athletic Director prompted the task of creating a universal budget template for all sports. I had a lot of fun modifying and creating the spreadsheet. Seeing the spreadsheet be useful in the budgeting process was very rewarding.

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN BELMONT ATHLETICS EVOLVE IN YOUR

TIME HERE? In my short time at Belmont, I have seen the Athletic program evolve quickly with the addition of the Crockett Center, Hitting Facility, and move to the Missouri Valley Conference. These three major changes have opened many doors for our programs to grow and become even more successful.

CONVERSELY, HOW DO YOU WANT TO SEE BELMONT ATHLETICS CONTINUE TO GROW AND CHANGE THE NEXT

FIVE YEARS? In the next five years, I would like to see Belmont Athletics continue its focus on the student-athlete experience while also becoming a top competitor in the Missouri Valley.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR ENJOYMENT OUTSIDE OF WORK?

Outside of work, I enjoy playing in an adult baseball league and playing golf with friends and family.

Q&A WITH

4TH YEAR AT BELMONT RYAN NEISES

COORDINATOR OF ACADEMIC SERVICES AND SPORTS MINISTRY

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AT BELMONT AND WHAT KEEPS

YOU HERE? I have been at Belmont for 4 years. We have an amazing community and a great culture here in athletics. Our staff and coaches don’t just come into work to get a paycheck or to check a box. There is a bigger purpose for what people do in their roles and why they do it. It’s evident in all our interactions and care for each other and most importantly, our studentathletes. I’ve always valued culture and community in an athletic department over everything else, and Belmont is a special place for both.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE HERE? My role involves a lot of things, but all of it has to do with the development, growth, and support of our student-athletes. I like to say that my role is about building relationships and helping our studentathletes and athletic programs reach their full potential off the court, field or track.

SPECIFICALLY, YOU WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES AND PROGRAMS FROM AN ACADEMIC, MINISTRY, AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT. WHAT DOES YOUR DAILY/WEEKLY/MONTHLY WORK ENTAIL

FROM THAT STANDPOINT? I meet with several student-athletes weekly to ensure they have the support they need not only to succeed in the classroom but are also connected and happy at Belmont. I monitor study hall and connect all our athletes with tutoring resources specific to athletics. I advise our SAAC group, which includes leaders from all our teams and help them with their initiatives in mental health, community service, leadership development and more. Finally, I lead several weekly sports ministry events from FCA to bible studies. I also lead our athletic mission trips. I’m always planning, recruiting and building global partnerships for those.

WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

YOU’VE EXPERIENCED AT BELMONT? Gosh there are so many. Since I view my job as building relationships, it’s always rewarding to see those grow. I love being a part of our studentathletes’ lives for big moments and they experience big moments in mine as well. I’ve gotten to baptize a few athletes, officiate a wedding between two former Bruins, and even found out that I was going to be a dad on our athletic mission trip in Poland.

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN BELMONT ATHLETICS EVOLVE IN YOUR

TIME HERE? I’ve seen Belmont Athletics commit to being more competitive while also emphasizing the student-athlete experience more and more. I think we are headed to being the best in the country in being balancing in both of those areas in an excellent way.

CONVERSELY, HOW DO YOU WANT TO SEE BELMONT ATHLETICS CONTINUE TO GROW AND CHANGE THE NEXT FIVE

YEARS? We have an amazing staff. We should continue to grow our resources and positions.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR ENJOYMENT OUTSIDE OF WORK?

I love being with my wife and daughter. I love to travel, experience new places and try all the Nashville restaurants I can.

2022-23 COMMUNITY SERVICE BRUINS IN THE COMMUNITY

On December 11, 2021, Belmont’s men’s and women’s basketball programs partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee to spread Christmas cheer to 30 local children by providing them a better Christmas.

Belmont student-athletes helped their young friends pick out Christmas presents for themselves and family members as they shopped at the west Nashville Target. The event is an annual Belmont Athletics tradition and is made possible by the support of Gray Line of Tennessee.

Belmont’s student-athletes, coaches and administration were once again tremendously active in the Nashville community, helping to give back.

Belmont’s efforts as a department are consistently among the top 10 in the country in terms of hours spent serving the Nashville community, despite its student-athlete population size being lower than most NCAA Division 1 athletic departments.

OVER 2,250 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE

COMPLETED BY OUR STUDENTATHLETES, COACHES AND STAFF