Julie Ruppert

Julie Ruppert

Ruppert - Committee Service

Julie Ruppert begins her 16th year at the helm of the NE10 in 2023-24, marking the longest tenure in NE10 history. Ruppert was appointed as the Conference’s fifth full-time Commissioner on May 1, 2008 with her appointment making NCAA history at the time as the division’s first ever full-time female Commissioner.

In her role as Commissioner, Ruppert is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of a premier Division II conference with its 12 member colleges and universities located in New England and New York. Among Ruppert’s many accomplishments in the NE10, she has directed the NE10’s strategic brand enhancement and communications project that resulted in the launch of an NE10 Brand Platform, EMBRACE Brand campaign and a new Conference identity program.

Ruppert spearheaded the development, launch and implementation of the NE10’s five-year strategic plan, Embracing Excellence: Strategic Vision 2019-2025 which also included a revised Mission Statement and the creation of a Conference Vision statement. The plan positions the NE10 as a model DII Conference committed to providing its student-athletes with exceptional educational opportunities, high-level athletics competition and personal growth through contributions to the community. Additionally, under Ruppert’s leadership the Conference developed and implemented NE10 NOW in 2018, the Conference’s first-ever digital streaming network and successfully managed a three-year progression that now requires all team sports to be streamed live (12 sports).

With a focus on broad-based excellence across all of the NE10’s 24 sports, the Conference’s membership has collectively earned 18 Division II National Championships in six team sports and 26 NCAA Individual National Championships since Ruppert’s tenure began in 2008. An additional 16 teams have earned national runner-up status. 

Northeast-10 Conference student-athletes have graduated at unprecedented levels in NCAA Division II during the past decade. The NE10 set a record for academic success percentage in 2021 and 2022 with an Academic Success Rate of 89%, far exceeding the national average. 80 NE10 teams achieved a perfect 100% ASR – accounting for roughly one-third of all programs in the conference. Additionally, the NE10 had 23 of its 24 sponsored sports achieve a collective rate 80% or better.  With Ruppert’s guidance, the NE10 has expanded its academic awards program to include Presidential Awards for Academic Excellence, Elite 24 awards, Academic All-Conference teams, Sport Excellence awards, Team Academic Excellence Awards, Institutional Scholar-Athletes and an enhanced Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, marking the most comprehensive program in DII honoring academic achievements. The Conference now promotes and honors student-athlete service, achievement and success through various conference platforms.  

Ruppert has significant experience representing Division II and the NE10 on the national level, including a prestigious appointment as one of 5 DII appointees to the NCAA Constitution Committee, a group tasked with the momentous project of re-envisioning and drafting a new Constitution for the Association. Shortly after beginning her tenure at the NE10, Ruppert was appointed to the NCAA Division II Management Council representing the Conference. She has also served on the NCAA DII Championships Committee and was recently appointed to the DII Strategic Planning and Finance Committee for a four-year term commencing in February 2024. 

She has completed service on two task forces - the NCAA Division II Long Range Projections Task Force, whose purpose was to draft a financial plan for the division through 2023-24, as well as the NCAA Division II Academic Requirements Committee Task Force that successfully sought to address needed adjustments in initial and continuing eligibility rules.

Ruppert is an active member of Women Leaders in College Sports and served a four-year term on the organization’s Board of Directors. Ruppert is also active within the DII Collegiate Commissioner’s Association, serving a four term on the organization’s Executive Committee and in 2018-19 represented the D2CCA as its President.

Ruppert joined the NE10 after spending 15 years with the America East Conference, an NCAA Division I Conference. Ruppert served various roles within the America East Conference during her tenure including Sr. Associate/Associate/Asst Commissioner and was interim Commissioner from March – August, 2005. She began her career in athletic administration at Middlebury College where she spent a year working in athletic communications (1991-92) before spending a year with the Eastern College Athletic Conference (1992-93).

A graduate of Middlebury College, Ruppert holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with an American Literature concentration.

Ruppert and her husband John, the Deputy Director of Athletics at Bryant University, are the parents of twins Connor and Emma.

Julie Ruppert