Former high school football star Lee McElroy finds opportunity in college athletic administration

Photo: Lee McElroy, former president of the National Association of Athletic Directors (2006-07), took a career-killer job at the University of Albany (SUNY) in 2000. While he recognized the problems at the University of Albany--administrative instability, no Division I conference affiliation, mediocre facilities, little private booster support--he also sensed opportunity. Today, under the athletic leadership of McElroy, UAlbany is the star of the East Coast Conference. (Courtesy DONNA ABBOTT VLAHOS THE BUSINESS REVIEW)

When others saw risk, Beaumont native Lee McElroy found opportunity. The oldest of 12 siblings, the former Hebert High School football star became the first to go as far from home has he did. Years later, an unexpected career shift took him from home again, this time on a journey that has allowed him to make as bigger a difference off the field than he ever did on it.

Through it all, McElroy points to a racially segregated upbringing that shaped his values today, as he is one of few African-Americans to run an athletic program at a non-traditionally-black school. "I've had a lot of success everywhere I've been, and that's because I learned to go in and look at an environment and then develop the pieces to make it fit," said McElroy, the director of athletics at New York's University of Albany since 2000.

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McElroy previously served as athletics director for four years at American University in Washington D.C., seven years at California State University-Sacramento and one year at the University of the District of Columbia.

Former HU Denique Graves named assistant women's basketball coach

VESTAL, N.Y. -- The Binghamton University women's basketball team has announced the hiring of former Howard University Bison player, Denique Graves as an assistant coach to first-year head coach Nicole Scholl.

Graves is a three-year veteran of the WNBA and has seven years of international playing experience. She was drafted 15th overall in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Monarchs and played for two seasons. In 2001, she signed as a free agent with the Orlando Miracle.

Around the globe, Graves played in Brazil (1997), Greece (1998), Turkey (1999) and Bulgaria (2001). In addition, she was both a professional player and a coach in Sweden (2000), Switzerland (2002), Austria (2003-04) and China (2004).

"I am very excited for Denique to join our coaching staff here at Binghamton," Scholl said. "She brings a wealth of playing experience and will be instrumental in the development of our post players. Her ties to the east coast and internationally will also benefit our program. Denique and I have the same philosophy when it comes to teaching and providing a positive experience for the young women in our program."

A 2008 graduate of Howard University, Graves starred for the Bison from 1993-97 before launching her professional career. She was a three-year All-MEAC selection and was the first player from a historically black college or university to be drafted by the WNBA.

Since 2004, Graves has been a coach at seven different basketball camps. Most recently, she was the Girls Basketball Director and Coach for the Headfirst Camp in Washington D.C.

Binghamton University, a SUNY doctoral research university for 13,000 students in beautiful upstate New York, plays Division I Women's Basketball in the American East Conference. Each of the nine institutions - University at Albany, Binghamton University, Boston University, University of Hartford, University of Maine, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), University of New Hampshire, Stony Brook University, and University of Vermont - offer a unique blend of academic and athletic tradition.