To that end, Pate is planning to reinvigorate the Prairie Stars’ booster club. According to her resume, Pate increased Brevard’s booster club membership by 20 percent in one year and boosted outside revenues enough to increase the operational budget for athletics by 25 percent.

“It’s going to take time to see what’s going to happen now,” says Marcel Yoder, faculty athletics representative, who acts as a liaison between the faculty and athletics department while keeping close track of student-athlete welfare. Yoder was on the search advisory committee that selected Pate to fill the athletic director position.

“I’m optimistic that great things are going to happen ... but I think the broader campus, it’s going to take time. I think they’re ready for a change and I think they’re open and optimistic that good things are going to happen. But I think they are academics, and they’re going to need to be convinced,” Yoder says.