CEDARVILLE — After performing a national search for Cedarville University’s next athletic director, Dr. Thomas White, president, announced today the hiring of Chris Cross to the position. Cross has been a member of Cedarville’s athletic department since 2005. He served as an assistant athletic director starting in 2014 and, since July 2021, has held the role of interim athletic director.
“I am grateful to Dr. White for this opportunity,” said Cross. “We have a great team of coaches and student-athletes that I look forward to helping achieve success, both personally and athletically, as we fulfill our mission together of commissioning student athletes to impact the world for Christ.”
As athletic director, Cross will oversee the university’s 16 NCAA II intercollegiate teams and athletic training, and he will serve on the president’s cabinet.
“The role of the athletic director at Cedarville is much more than just athletic competition, it’s about investing into the lives of our coaches and student-athletes spiritually and professionally,” said White. “I believe Chris will lead us well in these areas because he has demonstrated throughout his career, including this year as our interim director, to be a person of high character and visionary leadership.”
Cross was Cedarville’s first full-time assistant athletic director for compliance, a position he accepted in 2014. Prior to this role, he served for 10 years as assistant professor of athletic training, and in 2005, he assumed the role of head athletic trainer and the liaison between the university’s NCAA II athletic department and all allied health academic professions.
“Cedarville has been my home for almost 18 years,” added Cross. “It is my desire to lead our athletic program as a ‘servant of Christ and a steward of the mysteries of God’ so that anyone who watches our coaches and athletes, they see we are truly committed to the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ.”
Prior to coming to Cedarville, he was the director of athletic training at Salem International University. In this capacity, Cross was responsible for overseeing the education and service of athletic training program.
Cross has provided extensive service to university and athletic organizations during his career. From 2018-21, he was the chair of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference compliance committee and president-elect of the NAIA Athletic Trainers Association in 2008. Cross chaired Cedarville’s Staff Committee to the President in 2016 and was appointed to the university’s strategic planning committee in 2015.
He is a 1996 graduate of Alderson-Broaddus College in West Virginia with a degree in sports medicine. The Clarksburg, West Virginia native then worked for three years at Athens Physical Therapy before earning his master’s degree in athletic training from West Virginia University in 2001.
Cross is active in the local community by serving on the Cedar Cliff Local School Board and is a member at Heritage Fellowship Church in Springfield. He and his wife, Barbara, reside in Cedarville and have three sons: Mason, Colby, and Tyler.
