University of North Alabama Athletics

DR. PATRICIA RODEN
Dr. Patricia Roden served as the UNA Faculty Athletic Representative for more than two decades, from 1997-20, and played a crucial role in the success of the Lions’ athletic program.

After serving 40 years on the teaching faculty at UNA, including the last 24 years as Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR), Dr. Roden retired at the end of August 2020.

As an associate professor of mathematics and computer science, Dr. Roden was a part of unprecedented success for the UNA athletics department. During her tenure, the Lions won NCAA Division II national championships in volleyball (2003) and softball (2016) and also began the transition to Division I status.

The Lions also continued high standards in the classroom, completing a ninth consecutive semester with at least a 3.0 department-wide grade point average.

In her role as FAR, Dr. Roden reported to the university president, while working closely with the athletics director. She was on call to address athletics-related issues throughout the calendar year.

Her responsibilities, in addition to a regular faculty appointment, was to promote a balance between academics, athletics and social lives of UNA’s student-athletes. She reviewed travel and competition schedules to minimize missed class time, while also engaging in the “certification for competition” process for all Lion student-athletes. She was charged with reviewing athletic scholarships, participating in student-athlete exit interviews, serving as an independent source of counsel, assistance and information, and encouraging and facilitating interactions between student-athletes and the mainstream of institutional activities.

Roden and her husband Randy are both North Alabama graduates, and their daughter, Miranda Bowie, is an associate professor at UNA.