Photo: IAN HALPERIN
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lot has changed at the Big 12 Conference since its inception in 1996, but Dru Hancock has been a constant, and that’s been a blessing for women in college sports.
Dru Hancock
Big 12 Conference |
Senior Associate Commissioner
Hancock’s desire to advance women’s athletics dates to her undergraduate career at Ohio State, where she majored in journalism because she was discouraged that there wasn’t more coverage of women’s sports. She has been involved in college sports ever since, working on campus at several institutions in sports information, coaching and administration. But it is at the conference and national levels where Hancock has had the greatest influence.
In addition to orchestrating many of the Big 12’s conference championships and serving as a tournament director for two Women’s Final Fours, Hancock last year served as chair of the NCAA Division I women’s basketball committee and currently serves on the national oversight committee for the sport. “You reach a point in your career that you’re given some latitude to do some things more on the national scale, and that’s probably the most interesting part of my job right now,” she said.
Hancock plans to retire in three years, but look for her to make a major impact between now and then. She and her committee members are exploring the possibility of anchoring the Women’s Final Four in a particular city, like the NCAA baseball and softball World Series events, as well as pairing the men’s and women’s basketball championships. She also is helping mold the next generation of industry leaders. “At this point of my career, it’s mentoring,” Hancock said. “It’s finding young individuals, women, who want to come up in this profession, and being able to make sure you’re able to steer them in the right direction.”
— Alex Silverman
- Notable professional achievement: Tournament director for two NCAA Women’s Final Fours, chair of the NCAA Division I women’s basketball committee.
- Best advice received: Have both male and female mentors; hire individuals who are smarter and more capable than you and allow them to shine.
- Causes supported: Special Olympics, Humane Society, SPCA.
- Woman in sports business I’d most like to meet: Billie Jean King.
- Most memorable sporting event attended: Texas beating USC for the national football championship in the Rose Bowl.
- If my colleagues were asked to describe me, they would say I: Am friendly, collegial and fun.
