Building Champions: Carroll Names New Athletics Director
Carroll Community College recently announced Teri Leatherwood as its new Athletics Director, marking a historic milestone as the first woman to hold the position. A zealous advocate for student success and an integral part of Carroll’s Student Engagement team since 2022, Leatherwood is set to lead the Lynx Athletics program into a thrilling new chapter.
A Passion for Supporting Student-Athletes
“Teri possesses a passion for leadership and student success and is a firm believer in the ‘student athlete’ in every sense of the term,” said Jen Snyder, Senior Director of Student Engagement.
“The enthusiasm she brings with respect to the value and excellent quality of a Carroll education makes her a powerful advocate to recruit students not only for athletics, but also for our honors programs and Carroll as a whole,” Snyder continued. “Teri has made a strong impact on this program already, and coaches and athletes alike have expressed excitement for her in this new role.”
As head coach and steward of Carroll Volleyball since its inception in 2023, Leatherwood had rapidly built the program into a competitive force. In just its second season, the team advanced to the NJCAA Region 20 quarterfinals—a remarkable achievement for a newly launched program.
Early in her tenure at Carroll, Leatherwood remembers frequently asking her colleagues why the College didn’t have a volleyball team. “I was soon tasked with proving that establishing a volleyball team could become a reality, and that is exactly what I did,” she said. “And when I was offered the position of head coach, I did not hesitate to accept.”
A Longtime Leader in Carroll County Sports
I look forward to improving and expanding our Athletics program while continuing to support the fantastic student-athletes on our campus.
With over thirty years of experience in Carroll County’s adult and youth sports, Leatherwood has previously taken on roles as coordinator, recruiter, and program director across multiple sports.
Leatherwood boasts a combined fourteen years of experience coaching high school basketball and volleyball in Carroll County. She currently serves as a board member of North Carroll Recreation Council, where she established the first youth volleyball program to help feed the high school program.
“When I first started coaching, playing sports outside of high school was not common,” Leatherwood said. “However, with all the new recreational and competitive traveling club programs, it is more common for freshmen to enter high school with some experience, as opposed to years ago when the first exposure was as a high school player. At Carroll, we want to allow those same student-athletes to play at the next level.”
From Carroll Student to Committed Steward
Leatherwood received her Associate of Arts in Business Administration from Carroll Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Stevenson University.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and staying active. She is an avid pickleball player and spends a lot of time on her very own court playing with her husband, children, neighbors, and friends.
“I’m very excited to bring my sports experience and passion for the College to my new position as Athletics Director,” Leatherwood said. “I look forward to improving and expanding our Athletics program while continuing to support the fantastic student-athletes on our campus.”
With her deep roots in Carroll County sports and unwavering dedication to student-athlete success, Leatherwood is poised to take Carroll’s Athletics program to new heights. Go Lynx!