Simpson Receives NCAA Division III Diversity Grants to Add Athletics Staff

Simpson has been awarded two NCAA Division III Diversity Grants to support new athletics coaching positions, as the College seeks to strengthen its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

One award — an NCAA Division III Coaching Enhancement Grant — is being used to provide two years of funding for newly hired full-time assistant women’s and men’s track and field coach Ashlan Burton. The Urbandale, Iowa native was a seven-time NCAA Division II All-American at the University of Central Missouri.

Additionally, Simpson is using an NCAA Division III Ethnic Minorities and Women’s Internship Grant to fund an entry-level athletics administrative position for two years. Ryleigh Collum, a 2023 graduate from the University of Iowa, will serve as coordinator of Internal Operations for Simpson Athletics.

“These NCAA grants provide a vital boost to growing the diversity of our athletics coaching and administrative staffs,” said Marty Bell, director of athletics at Simpson College. “This is especially important as we continue to increase the diversity of student-athletes competing in Storm sports. It’s all part of our ongoing desire to create an ever stronger and richly diverse ONESimpson community.”