UAlbany Assistant Athletic Director Wayne Bridgeman Passes Away After Battle With Cancer

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany Assistant Director of Athletics Wayne Bridgeman passed away on the evening of Dec. 10 after a long battle with cancer. He was 55. Bridgeman is survived by his wife Carol and three children from a previous marriage.

“Our department of athletics and the university is devastated by Wayne Bridgeman’s passing,” McElroy said. “He was a dedicated professional who dealt with the tough issues that face collegiate athletics today. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and family at this time.”

Bridgeman was appointed to the position of assistant athletics director for compliance on Aug. 17, 2006. He spent the previous two years at New Mexico State University where he was director of athletic compliance and eligibility. He was responsible for all compliance issues that ranged from NCAA and conference interpretations to the Academic Progress Rate (APR).

Bridgeman worked at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as director of compliance from 1999-2004. He managed eligibility, recruiting, financial aid, EADA and Title IX issues, plus oversaw the school's transition as a NCAA provisional Division I member to active Division I status. He developed oversight programs for administering athletic scholarship aid.

From 1994-99, Bridgeman was the compliance coordinator at Sonoma State University. He served as compliance coordinator for three years and created and implemented the first office of athletic compliance in the institution’s history.

Bridgeman began his career as a high school basketball coach on the varsity and junior varsity levels before taking an assistant coaching position at California State University-Hayward in 1993. He played as a collegian at the University of Colorado for two seasons from 1972-73.

A native of Ravenswood, W.Va., Bridgeman earned his B.S. in business administration and marketing from San Diego State University. Bridgeman, who was born on Dec. 27, 1953 received a J.D. from John F. Kennedy School of Law in Berkeley, Calif. and had legal experience in the Alameda County Superior Court and Fremont Municipal Court systems.