Jewell names Vice President for Athletics

05/27/2026

Ryan Erlacher has been named Vice President for Athletics at William Jewell College, following a national search. He will begin his role on July 1, overseeing operations of the Cardinal Athletics Department and 19 NCAA DII sports as well as serving on the president’s cabinet. Chris McCabe, who has been leading the program, announced in January that he will step down to associate athletic director while continuing to lead the men’s basketball program.

Erlacher brings more than 20 years’ experience as an administrator in intercollegiate athletics. He comes to Jewell after serving as the Director of Athletics at Augusta University and Clayton State University, both located in Georgia. During his time at the helm of AU, significant enhancements were made in facility upgrades. Christenberry Fieldhouse, AU’s arena, saw a $5 million facelift, a brand-new sports performance center, upgraded locker rooms, on-court upgrades and new branding throughout. Outside, baseball and softball facilities were transformed with lighting, permanent seating, cages and additional field upgrades. Both the tennis and track programs received respective locker room facilities, and the DI golf programs experienced a complete refresh of their golf house.

Outside of facility enhancements, Erlacher added men’s and women’s indoor track and field and dance under AU’s sports sponsorship. In addition, AU teams won 15 conference championships and made 23 NCAA championship appearances while finishing first in the Peach Belt Conference Commissioner’s Cup standings five out of nine seasons. AU student-athletes also excelled in the classroom, setting records for the highest department grade point average in program history and finishing Top 10 in the NCAA DII for number of community service hours completed. That great work led the Jaguars to be recognized as an NCAA Division II Award of Excellence Finalist two years in a row, finishing Runners Up in the nation in 2025. Externally, athletics experienced record-breaking fundraising numbers under his leadership.

“We are excited to have Ryan join the Cardinal Family,” said Dr. Drew Van Horn, Jewell president. “His experience and energy will allow us to build upon the good work done by Chris McCabe during his interim role. I look forward to great things for Cardinal Athletics.”

Prior to Augusta, Erlacher served four years as the Director of Athletics at Clayton State University. Cited by CSU as a student-athlete-centered leader, Erlacher implemented core values focused on service, a team-first culture and a standard of excellence. From that investment, half of the programs qualified for NCAA DII postseason competition and 90% of teams saw Peach Belt Conference (PBC) postseason play. Student-athletes achieved the highest GPA in program history, and CSU became the first school to earn the prestigious PBC President's Academic Award for three consecutive years. Also part of the unprecedented success under his leadership, athletics fundraising reached all-time highs with a 580% increase in community partnership contributions and a 1,500% growth in athletic reserves.

“My family and I are thrilled to be joining William Jewell and the local community,” said Erlacher. “This is extra special for us since my wife grew up in Kansas City, and we have family and friends in the area. I’d like to thank President Van Horn for this wonderful opportunity and everyone I met throughout the search process that made me feel right at home. It became very clear early on that Jewell is a special place and the excitement for athletics on campus was infectious. Coach McCabe has done a great job leading Cardinal Athletics over the past few years, and I am looking forward to continuing his good work. Our focus will be to elevate Jewell Athletics in all areas and provide an unparalleled experience for our student-athletes, alumni, campus and community.”

Prior to Clayton State, Erlacher was in Florida, serving seven years at Flagler College, moving from Assistant AD to Senior Associate AD. He also spent time at Florida State University, Stetson University and Northwood University.

Erlacher received a bachelor’s degree in sport management from Flagler College, where he served as a student assistant for the men’s basketball team under legendary coach Bo Clark, and he completed a master’s degree in sport administration from Florida State University. Ryan and Kellie are the proud parents of Austin (12) and Isabelle (11) and are all avid Kansas City Royals fans.