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Frazier’s Journey With Basketball Led Her to MAIAA

Kate Frazier took a winding road to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Basketball took her all over the Midwest and Great Plains the last five years – until she landed at the College of Business Administration in the masters of arts of business with a specialization in intercollegiate athletic administration (MAIAA) program this fall.
 
At 17 years old, Frazier decided she did not want to play sports in college. During her senior year, she ignored the college coaches who approached her about playing basketball.
 
“I was always a good student, but didn’t want to play sports in college despite objections from my high school coaches,” she said. “Boy, was I wrong though. When it came time to make a decision, I realized I wanted a scholarship.”
 
Late to the recruiting process – with no NCAA scholarships left – she heard about two-year college Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (NEO). After meeting with the coaching staff, she knew it was the right fit for her. She signed her national letter of intent to play basketball at NEO on the last day of her senior year of high school.
 
Kate Frazier
Fast forward two years, and she needed to decide where to finish her bachelor’s degree. She worked with her junior college coach and selected Lincoln University, an NCAA Division II university in Jefferson City, Missouri.
 
After graduating with a degree in business administration, Frazier accepted a job at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Missouri, as an assistant coach for the women’s basketball program. After a few months of coaching the Lions, she decided to pursue a career in athletic administration and enrolled in an online sport management graduate program. Yet, she felt something was missing.
 
“I wanted to be active and involved in my graduate program. The MAIAA at Nebraska provides hands-on experience and I haven’t even started my athletic department internship yet. Being here, I have the opportunity to learn straight from the best in the business,” Frazier said.
 
Current MAIAA Advisory Board member and UNL alumnus Mike Doty worked with Frazier at MSSU, where he serves as athletic facilities coordinator. He encouraged her to apply to the MAIAA program.
 
Founded in 2014, the MAIAA program allows students to earn a competitive Big Ten business degree while simultaneously getting up-close-and-personal experience in the Nebraska Department of Athletics.

The program is the brainchild of Dr. Donde Plowman, James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean of the College of Business Administration and Shawn Eichorst, director of athletics. Twelve students are admitted annually to the selective MAIAA program and they intern their second year with Nebraska Athletics.
 
“After researching the UNL MAIAA program, it became clear the university had a winning formula, with success on the field and in the classroom. The opportunity we have in the MAIAA program to not only learn from outstanding faculty and staff at CBA and from successful athletic department staff is second to none,” she said.
 
Frazier began the MAIAA program in fall 2016 in the third cohort and is expected to graduate in 2018. She hopes to work in athletic administration at an NCAA institution. 
Published: September 26, 2016