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A Hat Trick for Mason Athletics

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Mason Athletics has been building its leadership roster this spring with the addition of a new athletic director, a new men鈥檚 basketball head coach, and the extension of Mason鈥檚 women鈥檚 basketball head coach鈥檚 contract.

Headshot of Marvin Lewis
Marvin Lewis

Marvin Lewis is the new assistant vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics. The Germantown, Maryland, native boasts 15 years of athletic administrative leadership with various impressive NCAA Division I institutions.聽Lewis, who begins July 1, assumed senior leadership roles at Georgia Tech, University of Maryland, Georgia State, and most recently at Brown University聽as the school鈥檚 assistant vice president for athletics and recreation/chief operating officer.

Lewis聽is regarded as one of the nation鈥檚 most respected up-and-comers in athletics administration, having been named to the CollegeAD Next Up list in 2017 and the 2018-19 College Athletic Business Management Association (CABMA) Manager of the Year. He successfully completed the prestigious NCAA Pathway Program for aspiring athletics directors and conference commissioners in 2020.

鈥淚 am attracted to Mason because of its聽distinct blend of world-class academics, nationally competitive athletics, and the location in Northern Virginia,鈥 says Lewis. 鈥淢ason is everything that is right about higher education, creating diverse and inclusive communities that enhance the experience for all students.鈥

headshot of Tony Skinn
Tony Skinn

Tony Skinn, BA Communication 鈥06, was named the 12th聽head coach in Mason men鈥檚 basketball program history. A key starter on Mason鈥檚 celebrated 2006 Final Four team and one of the best all-around guards in program history, Skinn returns to his alma mater after nearly a decade of collegiate coaching.

During that decorated coaching career, he鈥檚 guided three different programs, including University of Maryland, to the NCAA Tournament, been a part of six 20+ win campaigns, and established himself as a stout recruiter both within the talent-rich Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region, as well as across the country.聽

鈥淚t is with great excitement that I return home to Mason,鈥 Skinn says. 鈥淚鈥檝e had some of my greatest memories here and I鈥檓 looking forward to making new ones with our fans and our community. Our best days are ahead!鈥

Headshot of Vanessa Blair-Lewis
Vanessa Blair-Lewis

Women鈥檚 basketball head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis鈥檚 contract has been extended through the 2027-28 season. The extension comes after the Patriots鈥 rapid improvement under Blair-Lewis鈥檚 leadership during her first two seasons in Fairfax.

The team saw victories in back-to-back Atlantic 10 Conference Tournaments while the number of regular season wins increased by double digits in a short time. Blair-Lewis has seen major success with the women鈥檚 basketball team as Mason finished 16-15 this season and 8-8 in Atlantic 10 play, the Patriots鈥 first winning season since 2017-18. In both seasons since her arrival, Blair-Lewis has led the Patriots to a win in the conference tournament, including a run to the A10 quarterfinals this year. In the upcoming 2023-24 season, Mason will return with its top four point scorers.

In a short period of time, we have built an amazing family environment and a strong culture in which everyone is loved, valued, and respected,鈥 says Blair-Lewis. 鈥淚 am proud to serve this great university and will continue to make Mason Nation proud. In all we do, excellence is our standard.鈥