EDISON, NJ (Feb. 25, 2022) – Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., President of Niagara University, has received an extension as President of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) through June 30, 2023. He began his appointment as MAAC President on July 1, 2020 at the beginning of the 2020-21 academic year. In addition, Judy D. Olian, PhD, President of Quinnipiac University, has been appointed as MAAC Vice President through June 2023. She will be elevated to President of the MAAC on July 1, 2023 for a two-year term.
“It is an honor to be asked to continue to serve as the chairperson for the MAAC,” said Father Maher. “The world of NCAA athletics continues to evolve at a rapid pace, and I look forward to working with Rich Ensor, the new vice chair, Dr. Judy Olian, and the Council of Presidents to strengthen the conference and ensure the success of all of our student athletes during this critical era.”
Fr. Maher has served as the president of Niagara University since 2013. During his tenure the university has strengthened its enrollment; launched “What must be done,” the university’s strategic plan; and he has created a new sector within the university dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion. He currently serves as a member of the board of trustees for DePaul University and is on the board of directors for the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU). He also previously served on the board of governors for the NCAA. Father Maher graduated from St. John’s University with a B.A. in Sociology in 1984. He then received a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology from Mary Immaculate Seminary in 1989 and 1990, respectively. In 2004, Fr. Maher earned his Doctor of Ministry from the Immaculate Conception Seminary and Graduate School of theology.
“I am a staunch believer in the value of collegiate athletics,” says Dr. Olian. “They require enormous discipline on the part of student athletes in academics, and in their sports. These student athletes become role models to the rest of the student community and a point of pride to the institution.”
Judy D. Olian, PhD, became the 9th president of Quinnipiac University in 2018. With a background in research on management and leadership, she has held leadership positions in higher education institutions including most recently at UCLA, and prior to that at The Pennsylvania State University. Born and raised in Australia, Olian received her BS in psychology from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, and her MS and PhD in industrial relations from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She is currently a member of several non-profit boards serving the State of Connecticut, women in business, and marginalized students, and is also on the boards of publicly traded companies. She has been at multiple universities where Division I Sports flourish.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 41st year of competition during the 2021-22 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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