Lisa Merritt Hometown: McAlester, Okla. Last College: Oklahoma State University Position: Assistant Athletics Dir. for Academics Email: lisa@latech.edu

Lisa Merritt enters her fifth year as a member of the Louisiana Tech athletics department staff serving as assistant athletics director for academics.

Merritt joined the athletics department after serving for 11 years in the LA Tech speech department with her husband Kevin where she taught speech classes while serving as an academic advisor for students majoring in speech communication.

Since joining the Tech athletics department, Merritt has helped the University's student-athletes excel in the classroom. For the second consecutive year, Tech saw eight of its 16 NCAA sanctioned programs earn their highest multi-year APR score ever with all 16 programs being penalty free. The Bulldog golf team and Lady Techster bowling team were both honored nationally by the NCAA with Public Recognition Awards, based on their most recent multi-year APR scores.

Tech student-athletes also recorded their highest Graduation Success Rate(GSR) and highest four-year graduation rate ever this past year as the University ranks No. 1 in the state of Louisiana among Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) public institutions and second among all WAC schools. Tech was one of only two WAC schools and one of only three state schools (LSU,Tulane) that had multiple teams honored.

LA Tech's student-athletes continue to excel on an individual basis as well, including numerous individual success stories such as sprinter Antoinette Cobb earning the 2010 Honda Inspiration Award and catcher Clint Ewing becoming one of eight finalists nationally for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award (this one year after he earned a spot on the 2010 ESPN The Magazine Academic all-American Team).

Tech's student-athletes also show incredible diversity when it comes to majors as each of the University's five colleges and virtually every degree program on campus boast at least one Tech student-athlete.

In her current role, Merritt oversees the student-athletes' academic progress and success while advising them regarding class schedules and degree plans, monitoring eligibility status and providing general academic guidance.

Merritt also runs the athletic academic center, provides "Life Skills"seminars for student-athletes, meets with prospective recruits, and serves as faculty advisor for SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee).

SAAC is a pro-active group of student-athletes communicating views or comments on WAC and NCAA rules and governance, which helps to ensure academic and athletic excellence for all student-athletes. Members of SAAC are also active in various community service projects such as hosting an annual Halloween carnival as well as serving as greeters for the annual St. Jude's Radiothon, participating in the Big Event, and supporting the WAC's charity of choice.

Merritt oversees and reviews the advising process to ensure compliance with both university and NCAA policies and serves as a liaison between faculty and coaches, as well as speaks at "New Faculty Orientation" each fall and during the year to the University Senate. She also meets recruits and their families to describe the college experience and how it will affect the student-athlete.

Merritt earned her bachelor's degree in agricultural economics in 1991 and master's in speech communication consultancy in 1994 both from Oklahoma State University.

She and her husband taught conversational English in Kyoto, Japan, for one year before coming to Louisiana Tech.

Outside of work, Merritt is a huge health and fitness buff who loves cycling (road and mountain), running and swimming. In 2002, Merritt and her husband completed the Florida Ironman Triathlon

Merritt and her husband Kevin reside in Ruston and have a seven-year old daughter named Maisie and an infant daughter named Ivy.