College Sports Gone Wild

Michael Zapolski is in the midst of his 19th year as the Director of Athletics at Augustana

College. Zapolski began his current assignment in June of 2008 after serving as the Director of

Athletics for five years at Anderson University in Indiana and working 20 years in various

capacities at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Zapolski is responsible for the daily management and oversight of the College’s 28-sport intercollegiate athletics program and the various team venues. Zapolski’s primary duties include budget and financial planning, compliance, event and facilities management, fund-raising, staff

evaluation and strategic planning. He has focused on improving cross-campus relationships, hired new head coaches in numerous sports during his tenure and helped successfully launch seven varsity NCAA programs—men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s water polo, men’s volleyball, women’s bowling and women’s wrestling—plus Esports. Characterized as an energetic and innovative leader, Zapolski has established a sound professional record that emphasizes a strong commitment to the development of the total student-athlete. Born and raised in nearby Wheaton, Illinois, Zapolski began his collegiate athletics career in October of 1983 when he was hired as the full-time Sports Information Director at Pepperdine. Zapolski worked at Pepperdine for 20 years, holding additional titles of Assistant Athletics Director (1999-2001) and Associate Athletics Director (2001-03). In his role as Associate Athletics Director at Pepperdine, Zapolski aided the Director of Athletics in the daily operation of the department. He supervised the men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s soccer and men’s tennis programs and had oversight of the Athletic Training, Facilities, Marketing and Sports Information staffs. Additionally, Zapolski managed the athletics website, supervised game management operations and coordinated event contracts and scheduling for

all sports. In October of 2017, he was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame. Zapolski earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Pepperdine in 1985, graduating magna cum laude. While making the transition to more administrative responsibilities, he earned a master’s of business administration degree from Pepperdine in 2000. He resides in Eldridge, Iowa, and has three adult children.