Danielle Hyde Named Top Athletic Director

Story courtesy of the CCAA

Danielle Hyde of Vancouver Island University (VIU) has been named the 2023 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Athletic Director of the Year.
Hyde received the award at the 2023 CCAA Hall of Fame Banquet in Niagara Falls, ON.

The CCAA award recognizes administrative excellence within the campus or college community environment. It also recognizes an Athletic Director who has made a significant contribution to their institution over the past academic year.

The 2022-23 season was a banner year for the VIU Mariners, who under Hyde’s leadership went a combined 96-29-7 in the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST). Three Mariners teams (Women’s Volleyball, Men’s Basketball and Women’s Basketball) made it to the top of the CCAA Rankings.

All six VIU varsity teams qualified for CCAA Championships – a first in Mariners history. Five of the six teams earned their way to a medal game at Nationals. The Women’s Basketball team won CCAA gold, while the Women’s Soccer and Men’s Basketball teams each took home bronze medals. The Women’s and Men’s Volleyball teams placed fourth.

The Mariners also earned an Exemplary Leadership Award (Women’s Soccer), a Tournament MVP (Women’s Basketball) and 10 CCAA Tournament All-Stars. Additionally, VIU earned two CCAA Player of the Year honours and a CCAA Coach of the Year nod. The Mariners produced six CCAA All-Canadians, five CCAA Academic All-Canadians and one student-athlete was named a CCAA Hudl Torchbearer Scholarship recipient.

VIU also had a second-year Female Apprentice Coach Program (FACP) participant this season, as Kayla Gromme returned to the Women’s Basketball team as an apprentice coach – Hyde herself (then Gaudet) was a part of the FACP during the 2008-09 season.

“VIU’s Varsity Athletics program has a strong tradition of excellence,” said Brittany Parker, Manager, Student Affairs at VIU. “Under Danielle’s exemplary leadership, we have witnessed incredible and unprecedented success with our Varsity Athletics programs this past year.”

Of course, Hyde’s story of contributions to intercollegiate athletics as an Athletic Director will always be prefaced with her accomplishments as a CCAA student-athlete.

With the then Malaspina Mariners, she was the first student-athlete in any sport to earn four straight CCAA All-Canadian awards and in 2000, Hyde was named the CCAA Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year. She was also a two-time CCAA Academic All-Canadian and in 2017, Hyde was inducted into the CCAA Hall of Fame.

At VIU, she served as the Manager of Sports Facilities & Campus Recreation before her hiring as Athletic Director in February of 2020 – right as athletics departments across the country were forced to deal with disruptions and a ‘lost season’ due to the pandemic.

Since moving into the role as Athletic Director, Hyde has taken on the PACWEST Director role with the CCAA and has led VIU’s organizing committee through consecutive CCAA Championships (Women’s Basketball in 2022 and Women’s Volleyball in 2023). Visiting teams, officials and spectators lauded Hyde and her team’s work in running quality championships and providing memorable experiences and hospitality for those who travelled to Nanaimo.

“If you have ever met Danielle, you would see that her passion for post-secondary athletics and student-athletes is evident,” said Jake McCallum, PACWEST President and Director, Student Engagement & Athletics at Langara College. “The drive and commitment with which she played the sport of volleyball, and is a CCAA Hall of Fame member, is the same drive and commitment she applies in her leadership role at VIU.”

Hyde is steadfast in her belief that success in the classroom must be at the forefront of a successful collegiate athletic experience. She has led all VIU Athletics staff, coaches, and student-athletes to take Positive Space training on campus. These training courses raise awareness of diversity in sexual orientation and gender identity.
She has also led a partnership with Hope and Health, an Indigenous program that empowers children and youth to succeed through sport. Mariners soccer players have contributed to soccer camps and Hope and Health youth have been recognized at VIU games.

Indigenous partnerships have also been a key part of game days and celebrations. All VIU Athletics tournaments, banquets, and ceremonies feature an Indigenous welcome from a VIU Elder in Residence. Local elementary school groups and youth club sports are often invited to Mariners’ home games and given special cheering sections. For the 2023 CCAA Women’s Volleyball National Championship, school groups were ‘assigned’ to cheer for visiting teams to ensure there would be crowd support for all. Youth teams are also given the opportunity to meet varsity student-athletes after games.

At VIU, Hyde has also put a lot of emphasis on building teamwork between the Athletics Department and other areas of campus. As part of strengthening the presence of VIU Athletics within the campus community, she spearheaded a formal partnership with the VIU Students’ Union to increase game-day promotions and run student-focused events. Engagement between VIU students and VIU Athletics skyrocketed, resulting in increased crowds at home games and a thrilling atmosphere in the stands at the two CCAA Championships that were recently held on campus.

Hyde has fostered a game-day experience that makes VIU a favourite spot to play for student-athletes from all institutions. At games, she is always present and ready to lend a hand with any task, big or small.

Likewise, her leadership style emphasizes harmony and collaboration leading to excellence. Student-athletes feel comfortable approaching her with questions, while athletics and recreation staff are empowered to make major decisions and contributions.

Hyde approaches her work with diligence, inquiry, and heart, according to Irlanda Gonzalez‐Price, Associate Vice President, Student Affairs at VIU.

“This has allowed her to build a unified team and run her department with an open‐door policy,” said Gonzalez-Price. “The open access approach she has with her own departmental team is exactly what she offers the student‐athletes as well.”

Hyde is extremely respected by the collegiate athletics community in the PACWEST and in the CCAA; her transition from award-winning student-athlete to administrator has been nothing short of a success.