Tulane Sports Law Alum Named Associate AD for NCAA Compliance

The Western Michigan Division of Intercollegiate Athletics and Director of Athletics Dan Bartholomae have announced the hiring of Kate Eshleman to the position of Associate Athletic Director for NCAA Compliance. Eshleman will serve as a member of the Athletic Director’s Senior staff, while overseeing WMU’s compliance department.

“We are so thrilled to be adding Kate as our Associate AD for NCAA Compliance and to our Senior Leadership Team,” Senior Associate AD for Administration, Academics and Compliance Lorne Robertson said. “Kate is a rising star in the field of NCAA Compliance who has made positive change at very institution she has been. She will lead the charge in several key areas, including rules education for all stakeholders of WMU Athletics. Kate’s legal training and infectious positive attitude will serve our student-athletes, coaches and administrators as we navigate the ever-changing landscape of NCAA rules.”

Eshleman arrives in Kalamazoo after spending the last year at the University of Utah. While in Salt Lake City, she oversaw the athletic department’s Name, Image and Likeness program, educated coaches, student-athletes and staff on NCAA as well as university rules, reviewed and approved all personnel for Utah’s 20 sport programs, and monitored institutional and non-institutional camps and clinics.

Prior to her time at Utah, Eshleman spent the 2020-21 academic year at the University of California, Santa Barbara as a compliance coordinator. While at UCSB, she researched and submitted waivers and violations for the department’s 19 athletic programs, provided rules education to student-athletes, coaches and staff, as well as monitored CARA and recruiting activity.

A two-time graduate of Tulane University, Eshleman began her professional career as a compliance legal intern at her alma mater, assisting with Academic Progress Rate reports and developing a database for Tulane’s compliance staff. She also spent a summer as an extern at the NCAA National Office, researching case precedent and public records for Level I Violations, helping enforcement staff prepare for investigation interviews, and assisting in completing an infractions data base which included information regarding Level I and II violations.

Eshleman received a bachelor’s degree from Tulane University in May of 2014, and then a Juris Doctorate from Tulane in May of 2020.