Joan McDermott is in the middle of her 10th year as the athletic director at Metropolitan State College of Denver in the fall of 2008.

McDermott, who was named the AstroTurf Athletic Director of the Year for Division II's West Region by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) in June 2008, has led Metro State to tremendous growth during her tenure. Roadrunner athletic programs have flourished under her reign, garnering four national championships (men's basketball in 2000 and 2002 and women's soccer in 2004 and 2006) and 21 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) championships. For the first time in 2006-07, the Roadrunners won the RMAC All-Sports Competition/Wells Fargo Cup, awarded to the conference's most successful athletic program over the entire year. On a national level, volleyball has made eight straight trips to the NCAA tournament, while women's soccer has advanced six consecutive times.

Through McDermott's efforts like the athletic department auction and the Metro State concert series, corporate sponsorship and scholarship funds have increased substantially. She has created more opportunities for Metro State student-athletes by orchestrating the addition of men's and women's cross country in 2005, men's and women's track in 2006-07 and women's softball in 2007-08. The program now boasts 15 sports in all.

McDermott is committed to helping the growth of college athletics. She is currently serving on the NCAA Division II Membership Committee and has previously served on the Executive Committee for the National Association of College Directors in Athletics (NACDA). In addition, she has been a member of the NCAA Division II Management Council, including serving as vice chair, and has also been the chair of the NCAA Division II National Volleyball Committee and the chair of the NCAA Championship Committee.

Prior to her appointment as athletic director in December 1998, McDermott coached the Metro State volleyball team for five years. The 1998 Southwest Region Coach of the Year, McDermott led the Roadrunners to the NCAA Tournament in four of her five seasons. In addition to serving as the volleyball coach, McDermott was the senior woman administrator prior to her appointment as athletic director.

McDermott has also coached volleyball at Morningside (Iowa) College and St. Mary's (Calif.) College, as well as softball at St. Mary's. Her 1985 volleyball team at St. Mary's captured the 1985 NAIA National Championship and she received NAIA National Coach of the Year honors. In McDermott's 17 years as a head volleyball coach, her teams posted 30 or more wins five different times, 20 or more wins 11 different times, and earned eight postseason bids.

In 1999, McDermott was named by the Denver Post as one of the 15 most powerful women in Colorado sports. She is a 1976 graduate of the University of San Francisco, and earned a master's degree from Stanford in 1979. In addition, she has completed hours toward a doctorate in education from San Francisco.

McDermott and her husband, Dan, reside in Wheat Ridge, Colo., with their six children, Katie, Scott, John, Tim, Claire and Jackson.