Friday, July 8, 2016
by Seattle Pacific Athletic Communications

SEATTLE – Jackson Stava, who worked the last 11 years at Azusa Pacific University, was hired as the athletic director at Seattle Pacific University, President Daniel Martin announced July 6.

Stava, 32, becomes the 11th athletic director since Seattle Pacific began sponsoring intercollegiate sports in 1946.

He served four years in the Azusa Pacific athletic department, including one year as the compliance administrator and the next two as an assistant athletic director for compliance and academic support. Stava was promoted to associate athletic director in 2015 and oversaw seven of APU’s 19 teams.

“I am excited for Jackson to join the Seattle Pacific community, and believe he will be a great asset to Falcon Athletics,” said Martin. “He brings the energy and ideas needed to advance SPU’s culture of winning which will complement the tremendous academic and co-curricular achievements of our students.

“Jackson also comes to us with a depth and breadth of experience in higher education that will extend the athletic excellence of SPU into the future. He understands the importance of connecting with future and past SPU athletes and coaches, and appreciates the rich traditions of Falcon Athletics.”

Stava was selected from an impressive pool of candidates with the help of a search committee led by Jeff Jordan, the school’s vice president for student life.

“We are looking forward to Jackson bringing an emphasis on the student-athlete experience and continuing to build a thriving athletic department,” Jordan said. “Jackson will be a strong advocate for SPU’s holistic integration of Student Life, Athletics, and University Ministries, and his strengths will enable SPU Athletics to continue building out into the community as a successful program.”

Seattle Pacific is an NCAA Division II member school that sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports. The Falcons have ranked among the top-100 schools every year in the Learfield Directors' Cup standings that recognize the best overall athletics programs in the nation. They were listed 67th in 2015-16.

"My family and I are excited and honored to be joining the Seattle Pacific University family,” Stava exclaimed. “I am truly grateful to President Martin, Dr. Jordan and the entire search committee for trusting me to serve in this position.

“I am absolutely thrilled and humbled to be a part of the SPU family and cannot wait to serve alongside the incredible coaches, staff and student-athletes as we strive together to use Falcon Athletics as the vehicle through which holistic transformation of students-athletes' lives can occur amidst the relentless pursuit of championships."

Stava worked in various capacities at Azusa Pacific, an NCAA Division II school located in southern California. After starting in 2005 as an admissions counselor, he became the senior admissions counselor and served as the campus athletics liaison from 2006-08. Stava was promoted to assistant director of undergraduate admissions in 2008 and assumed the role of executive administrator for athletic student enrollment in January of 2012.

He joined the athletic department on a full-time basis in November of 2012, starting as the compliance administrator and eventually becoming the associate athletic director.

In addition to his duties at APU, Stava works with the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association. He has served as the director of operations since its inception four years ago.

Stava graduated from Azusa Pacific in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in Youth Ministry and Biblical Studies, and received his master’s in Christian Education from APU in 2010. His wife, Melissa, worked at Azusa as the director of student activities and they have a 2-year-old daughter, Darby.

In August, Stava will take over Seattle Pacific's athletic director position that has been occupied by Tom Box on an interim basis.