After an extensive national search, Matt Shelton has been named athletic director at Southwestern College. Currently associate athletic director at Graceland (Iowa) University, Shelton will take over SC’s top athletic administration job April 1.

“Those who have worked closely with Matt over the past many years describe numerous strengths, but invariably laud his strength of character and his focus on others, colleagues as well as students,” says SC President Brad Andrews. “I am excited about the experience, professionalism, enthusiasm, and dedication Matt brings to our athletic department, and our campus.”

An NAIA school of about 1,100 students, Graceland hosts 21 varsity sports and recently added wrestling and bowling to its offerings. It is located in Lamoni, a town of 2,300 in south central Iowa.

"I am honored to be selected as the next athletic director at Southwestern College,” Shelton says. “As my wife and I have searched for the right fit for our family during the last few years it became very evident that my passion was in collegiate athletics because of the opportunity to impact the lives of those around me, and to repay the impact athletics have had on my own life.”

Since Shelton became an athletics administrator in 2011 Graceland athletes earned 134 Academic All-America designations while its sports programs maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Graceland has had 216 all-conference selections and 22 All-Americans, and Yellowjacket athletic teams have competed at NAIA national championships 31 times in the last six years.

Shelton graduated from Graceland 2001 and began his career as a junior and senior high school special education teacher. He also coached golf and basketball, and was serving as athletic director at Lamoni Community Schools when he was asked to return to his alma mater as sports information director. He led the marketing and branding campaigns in the Graceland athletic department for seven years, combining these responsibilities with the role of assistant athletic director in 2011.

He earned a master of science in sport management from California University of Pennsylvania, specializing in intercollegiate athletic administration.

Since May 2014 he has been interim/associate athletic director, supervising 40 full- and part-time employees. In addition to setting the long-term vision for GU athletics, budgetary responsibilities, and department-wide recruiting initiatives, Shelton has worked extensively with institutional advancement personnel as they look to complete a $5 million project for gymnasium renovation and an outdoor practice facility.

At Southwestern Shelton will oversee 15 varsity sports. He was chosen in a selection process that drew applications from throughout the United States. A search committee made up of faculty, staff, trustees, and community members vetted the candidates and four finalists participated in day-long interviews on campus during the past few weeks.

Shelton and his wife, Amber, are parents of three children—Hailey, 12; Trevor, 9; and Molly, 5. They will be moving to Winfield when the school year ends.

“When the Southwestern athletic director position was posted, I felt an instant connection to the position, the college and the community. When I came to Winfield and Southwestern for the interview it did nothing but validate that feeling for me. I can’t wait for April 1 to arrive so I can be on campus and my family and I can begin the next chapter of our lives in the community,” Shelton adds.

Southwestern has been without a permanent athletic director since May, when David Denly accepted a position in Bellevue, Nebr. He had been AD for six years, and was head women’s basketball coach for 17 years. Mike Kirkland, coach of women’s track and field, and sports information director Scott Nuss shared interim athletic director duties.

Southwestern College is a private institution granting undergraduate and graduate degrees and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.  About 1,600 students attend classes at the main Winfield campus, at five professional studies sites in Kansas and Oklahoma, or online around the world.