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University of Pittsburgh athletic director Steve Pederson announced in January the promotion of Donna Sanft to the position of executive associate athletic director.
Sanft holds one of the Pitt Athletic Department's most diverse and accomplished tenures. Her long association includes time as a student-athlete, head coach and, for the past two decades, administrator.
Sanft most recently served as Pitt's senior associate athletic director for administration, student life and compliance. She was named interim athletic director by Chancellor Mark Nordenberg during the fall 2007 and has been an integral figure in the many operations of Pitt athletics.
In her new capacity Sanft will work directly with Pederson on all administrative aspects of the department.
"I said at the time I returned that I was very fortunate to have someone with the talent of Donna Sanft at my side," Pederson said. "This promotion not only strengthens our department, but is representative of the respect that all of us have for Donna and her role in athletics at Pitt. I am excited to have her take on these additional responsibilities."
"I am incredibly excited about the future of Pitt athletics and feel so fortunate to be a part of it," Sanft said. "We are on the verge of greatness throughout our entire program. With Steve's leadership and the hard work and commitment of our staff, we are poised to provide championship opportunities for our student-athletes in their sports, academic pursuits and personal development. I am very grateful to Steve for his confidence in me and I will work tirelessly to contribute any way I can to continue the growth and success of our programs."
Sanft has been significantly involved in the department's strategic planning and the professional development of its staff. She additionally has been responsible for coordinating Pitt's compliance and NCAA rules education programs and overseeing the Panther Game Plan, a student-athlete life skills program.
Last year, she was named a recipient of the Chancellor's Awards for Staff Excellence in service to the University. The awards selection committee lauded Sanft's commitment and dedication to Pitt and its student-athletes as "truly exceptional." She was also praised for her volunteer work on assignments outside her typical job duties. Those endeavors included organizing and staffing the "Panther Zone," an alcohol-free social gathering for student football fans, and "PAWS," which gives young people in the Oak Hill Community an opportunity to attend weekly sport clinics and life skills educational programs led by Pitt student-athletes.
The selection committee also noted Sanft's management of the University of Pittsburgh's successful NCAA certification project in which the NCAA peer review team described many areas of Pitt's program as "models for others to follow."
While coaching the Panthers' gymnastics team for 12 years (1974-1986), Sanft compiled an 82-50-1 record and was twice selected the Eastern Collegiate Coach of the Year. During her tenure, she helped produce Pitt's only NCAA champion in women's gymnastics, Lisa Shirk.
A 1974 graduate of Pitt with bachelor's and master's degrees in health and physical education, Sanft was a member and three-year captain of the gymnastics team. She was named Pitt's Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1974. In 1999, Sanft was honored by the Pitt Varsity Letter Club as an "Awardee of Distinction," becoming the first female to receive the award.
Additionally, Sanft is a 2008 inductee into the Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame.
She and her husband Elliott have two adult daughters, Liza Barbour and Leah.
