By: Van Cathcart III
Montgomery, Ala. – Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) has added a new director of athletics to the roster. Erik Maas has joined the team in hopes to help all of Warhawks athletics to take the next step. Maas has almost 20 years of experience in administration, most recently at the University of Montevallo just a mere 64 miles from AUM’s campus. Maas spent the last 12 years with Montevallo, coaching baseball for the first six, and serving as an assistant athletic director for the last six years. “I got into this business almost 20 years ago coaching, helping baseball players become better players and students,” Maas said. Development is something that Maas has taken seriously and believes that administrators and coaches developing players into assets of the communities is their most important job.
“Anytime you’re in a capacity to be around student athletes you have to have a serving mentality. We’re all here to help student athletes obtain the goals they’re out to obtain… Our job is to make them better athletes, students, human beings, future spouses and parents.”
When asked why he chose AUM, Maas said, “I chose AUM because of what this school has managed to accomplish in the short time of being in Division II. The passion that I have seen from being at a rival school from the Warhawks made me believe this was a great place to be.”
Maas expressed his eagerness to get involved with sports coming up and specifically mentioned the women’s tennis team, finishing with a 10-7 record and competing in the Tennis Gulf South Conference Championship. Along with the men’s soccer team making the Elite 8 last season while posting a 11-5-4 record and participants in the NCAA postseason tournament, and the AUM softball team who made it to the NCAA South Regional in the World Series last season with a 40-7 regular season record.
When asked when AUM would be getting a football team Maas said, “I haven’t been here long enough to get to make that decision… I do look forward to getting the T-shirt that says we’re undefeated though.”
Maas’s hopes are high and was overly excited to get settled in and start getting things done. He looks forward to make everything from travel to ticket sales better for AUM athletics. Based on his experience and principles, Maas brings a lot to the table for athletics and AUM.