Dr. Angel Mason was appointed Director of Athletics at Berry College on June 1, 2019, and enters her eighth year of leadership in 2026-27. She oversees all aspects of Berry's NCAA Division III athletics program, including 22 varsity sports, more than 450 student-athletes, approximately 50 full-time staff members, and all departmental operations. She also serves on the President's Cabinet, providing strategic leadership on institutional priorities, student-athlete success, and campus initiatives.
Mason is recognized nationally for her leadership in intercollegiate athletics through service on NCAA and national governing boards, strategic leadership initiatives, and her commitment to advancing opportunities for student-athletes and athletics administrators.
Since her arrival at Berry, Mason has led one of the most successful periods in the Division III history of Viking Athletics. Under her leadership, Berry captured its first Southern Athletic Association Commissioner's Cup, achieved record academic success, expanded fundraising and external partnerships, secured multiple NCAA grants, and elevated the overall student-athlete experience through strategic planning, leadership development, and operational excellence. Berry teams have earned NCAA Tournament appearances in volleyball, softball, football, men's basketball, and men's soccer, while individual student-athletes have qualified for NCAA Championships in cross country and track & field. The department's newest varsity sport, beach volleyball, has qualified for the AVCA National Championship every season since its inception in 2022.
A nationally respected leader in collegiate athletics, Mason currently serves as:
- President of the Minority Opportunity Athletic Association (MOAA)
- Member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Executive Committee
- Board of Directors, WeCOACH
- NCAA Strategic Planning & Finance Committee
She previously served as President of the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA), where she helped advance the strategic direction of Division III athletics and leadership development nationwide.
In addition to her administrative leadership, Mason serves as a graduate faculty member at the University of Washington, where she teaches courses in Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership, and previously served as an adjunct faculty member at Berry College. Her presentations have been featured at NCAA conventions, national leadership conferences, and the National Conference of State Legislatures on topics including leadership, governance, ethics, and the future of intercollegiate athletics.
Before joining Berry, Mason was Senior Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, where she assisted with the leadership of a 21-sport athletics program: overseeing compliance, fiscal management, facilities, Title IX, and departmental operations. Earlier, she served as Associate Athletic Director, Senior Woman Administrator, and Associate Professor of Physical Education at Hamilton College, where she supervised 16 varsity sports, helped establish a student-athlete leadership institute, managed major facilities projects, and served extensively in faculty governance and campus leadership. She also held athletics leadership positions at the California Institute of Technology, Deerfield High School, Butler University, and Vassar College, building a broad foundation in athletics administration, coaching, compliance, teaching, and student development.
Mason's leadership has earned national recognition, including the 2024 NACDA Athletic Director of the Year Award, the 2022 Women Leaders in College Sports Nike Executive of the Year Award, the Coach and Athletic Director Magazine 40 Under 40 Award, and numerous additional honors recognizing her commitment to leadership, service, and excellence in collegiate athletics.
A former NCAA Division I basketball student-athlete at Butler University, Mason earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies with a minor in English before completing a Master of Science in Sport Management. She later earned a Doctor of Education in Administration, where her research examined the underrepresentation of African American women serving as NCAA Division III athletic directors. Dr. Mason and her husband, Tim, reside in Cartersville, Georgia.
MASON ERA BY THE NUMBERS
- 34 Southern Athletic Association Championships
- 51 All-Americans
- 10 Southern Athletic Association Coach of the Year Awards
- 62 Southern Athletic Association Athletes of the Year
- 2025-26: 6
- 2024-25: 10
- 2023-24: 11
- 2022-23: 11
- 2021-22: 10
- 2020-21: 10
- 2019-20: 4
- Led Berry to its first Southern Athletic Association Commissioner's Cup in school history
- Highest department GPA of the NCAA era (3.36)
- 341 Southern Athletic Association Academic Honor Roll selections (highest total in school history)
- Three NCAA Division III Emerging Leaders Grant recipients
- One NCAA Division III College Sports Communicators Convention Grant recipient
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