Bio

Mark Wateska was named Director of Athletics in May 2021 and was promoted to Vice President of Athletics in November 2024. He came to Doane from Stetson University (Fla.) where he has served as the Director of Strength and Conditioning since 2015. 

Wateska earned his Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sport Science from Penn State University in 1989 and Master of Science in Exercise and Sport Science with an emphasis in Sports Administration  from Penn State in 1991. A member of the Nittany Lion football team, he won a national title in 1986 under coach Joe Paterno. He directs the overall administrative and operational activities of intercollegiate athletics for Doane University’s 23 athletic teams.

Following his time at Penn State, Wateska would take an internship with the Philadelphia Eagles working in the Player Personnel Department. He joined Boston College in late 1991 and worked three years as an assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach until he was named the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Maine.

As he continued to move up the ranks in his field, Wateska joined Stanford University in 1995 as the head of the Cardinals’ strength and conditioning program. He was named the 1995-96 Pac-10 Strength and Conditioning Professional of the Year. In 2001, Wateska was promoted to Assistant Athletic Director of Strength and Conditioning.

Indiana University would be the next stop for Wateska, serving as the Director of Athletic Performance for the Hoosiers starting in 2002. He was once again promoted to Assistant Athletic Director of Strength and Conditioning in 2009 and held that position until 2014.

Within his position at Stetson, he was a member of the Senior Administrative staff and was the sport administrator for women’s lacrosse in addition to his duties as the Director of Strength and Conditioning. He also served on the Covid-19 action committee.

At each of his stops, he worked within athletic departments that are a similar size to Doane in terms of the number of teams and student-athletes participating.