Shannon Strahl enters her 23rd year with Gonzaga University Athletics, and began the duties of Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer on Sept. 1, 2021. She is also the Senior Woman Administrator for GU.
Strahl previously served as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance and Student Services. In addition to sport supervision for men’s and women’s soccer, Strahl oversaw the areas of compliance, academics and life skills. In 2016, Strahl assumed leadership responsibilities for the division of Student-Athlete Health and Wellness, which encompasses athletic training, strength and conditioning, nutrition and wellness.
Strahl joined the Gonzaga Athletics staff in 1999 as a graduate intern in the compliance office and was promoted to Compliance Officer one year later. In 2003, she became the Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance and hired the department’s first full-time academic coordinator and second compliance staff member. Under Strahl’s leadership as the Associate Director of Athletics in 2006, the areas of compliance and academic support continued to grow. In 2015 Strahl was promoted to Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator.
With a strong passion for legislation and the student-athlete experience, Strahl became part of the NCAA governance structure in 2011 first by serving on the formerly-named Academic Cabinet and a few months later joined the High School Review Committee. Strahl values her term on the Interpretations Committee and currently serves on the Legislative Committee. Also a long-time member of Women Leaders in College Sports, she is a member of the Nomination Committee, sharing her interest in developing and advancing the many talented women in the industry.
Under Strahl’s leadership, the academic performance of Gonzaga student-athletes has soared. Gonzaga’s NCAA Academic Progress Rates and Graduation Success Rates have been at or near the top national ranking, with GU holding the nation’s best or second-best NCAA Academic Progress Rate each of the last four years. In the classroom, the Bulldogs have averaged a 3.0 GPA or higher in 40 straight semesters during Strahl’s tenure, with more than 3,000 student-athletes have been named to the President’s List (3.7 GPA or higher) or Dean’s List (3.5-3.69 GPA) with the highest being 163 in the 2018-19 academic year.
Strahl was a 4-year letter winner in the sport of women’s soccer and recipient of the 1999 Female Student-Athlete of the Year, awarded to the department’s most outstanding female student-athlete. Through her experience, Strahl understands the many competing demands collegiate student-athletes face and appreciates the positive impacts sports can have on their transformation. With her guidance, Gonzaga Athletics has developed robust programming in support of the overall student-athlete experience, with particular emphasis on academic excellence, personal and career development, and community outreach. Each year, GU student-athletes spend thousands of volunteer hours serving numerous local and regional schools and agencies.
A two-time graduate of Gonzaga, Strahl earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in 1999 and Master of Business Administration three years later. She resides in Spokane with her husband Bobby Strahl and their two sons Bo and Brady.
