Carrie S Bert ‘97, was named the Director of Athletics at Eastern Mennonite University in August, 2022 after serving four months as Interim AD. In 2024, she was named Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics.
Prior to her tenure as Director of Athletics, Bert wore many hats for EMU Athletics, serving from 2020-2022 as the Assistant Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA), an NCAA-designated position for the highest-ranking female in each NCAA member's athletics department. In her role as Assistant AD, Bert supported athletic department staff orientation and mentoring, including creating and facilitating programming for graduate assistant and full time assistant coaches. She was also responsible for implementing a successful dual sport athlete support framework. During the COVID crisis, Bert served as Campus COVID Logistics Coordinator.
Before taking on an athletics administrative role, Bert worked with the women’s volleyball program as the head coach from 2015-2019 and an assistant coach from 2010-2014. Under her tutelage, the Royals re-established itself as a competitive team in the ODAC, including a 13-13 record in her final season (2019). It was the program’s first .500 mark since 2001.
Bert now leads an athletic department of 17 intercollegiate sports with nearly 275 athletes. The Royals compete in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) and NCAA Division III. EMU also competes under USA Triathlon, sponsoring the NCAA emerging sport of Women’s Triathlon, and College Disc Golf with nationally competitive men’s and women’s disc golf teams.
After growing up in the Holmes County area of Ohio, Bert (nee Stambaugh) graduated cum laude from EMU in 1997 with a Liberal Arts Elementary Education degree with coaching and music minors. During her time as an EMU student, Bert played for the women’s volleyball team. She is fifth in the EMU women's volleyball record books with 293 career blocks. She also finished her career with over 700 kills and was named All-ODAC in 1996. She later completed a Masters of Education at the University of Texas at Austin in 2004.
Prior to her work in collegiate athletics, Bert taught second grade at Stone Spring Elementary in Harrisonburg, VA and third grade at Laurel Mountain Elementary in Austin, TX. During her time in Austin, she supervised student teachers for the University of TX and provided private tutoring for elementary and high school students.
Bert succeeded Dave King as Athletics Director, following King’s impressive 17-year tenure as EMU's athletics director.
Under her leadership, EMU unveiled its new Track & Field facility as well as an update to the turf field with a new artificial turf surface and padding. Bert worked with community partners, including Eastern Mennonite School and Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community to secure funding for repairs and resurfacing of the tennis courts, including converting two courts into six pickleball courts, considered the best pickleball facility in the area.
To support the continued growth and operational efficiency of the athletics department, Bert has championed multiple staffing increases. She has overseen the addition of an Associate Athletic Director, the university’s first Strength and Conditioning Coach as well as a new full-time position in the Athletic Communication Office. She also hired multiple full-time assistant coaches to better support EMU’s student-athletes and program development across sports. These strategic hires reflect the university’s commitment to competitive excellence and comprehensive support for our teams.
Carrie is married to Daryl Bert ‘97. They have three children: Evan, Davis, & Maren.
