RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. –  The Great American Conference proudly announced a breakthrough partnership with Teamworks, helping pave innovation and excellence through their compliance and recruiting efforts. This collaboration positions the GAC as a trailblazer within Division II athletics, demonstrating a strong commitment to innovation and efficiency.

Addressing Key Challenges
GAC institutions faced significant challenges related to internal communication, complicated workflows, and inconsistent structures in certain areas. These issues hindered their ability to maintain compliance and execute effective recruiting strategies. “Instead of chasing paperwork or dealing with a system that was not efficient, we wanted a best-in-class platform that was a one-stop shop for coaches and administrators,” explained Audra Kedy, Senior Associate Commissioner of the GAC.

The Decision to Adopt Teamworks
Several GAC compliance administrators sought a stable platform that offered exceptional customer service and automated processes, allowing them to focus on the rapidly changing environment of college athletics. “Teamworks is like an additional staff member in the compliance department,” Kedy noted. Teamworks presented an accessible and efficient solution that met the diverse needs of GAC institutions.

Confidence in Teamworks
As the second Division II conference to establish a partnership at the conference level, the GAC was drawn to Teamworks for its ability to streamline workflows and enhance institutional control. “ECU Athletics is excited to partner with Teamworks Compliance + Recruiting to ensure our program is on the leading edge of compliance software while continuing to provide the best possible experience for our student-athletes,” said Keith Miller, East Central University Assistant AD for Compliance & Academics. Similarly to ECU, Steve Browning, Director of Athletics at Southern Arkansas University, shared “ we pride ourselves on providing a first-class experience for our student-athletes and staff. When we were presented with the opportunity to join Teamworks, it was a no-brainer. Their commitment to a first-class experience was evident from the start.”

Goals and Outcomes
The GAC aims to automate compliance processes, allowing departments to focus on unique issues as they arise. This partnership is expected to improve cross-campus collaboration and reduce violations, ultimately enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of member institutions. “We are very excited to have this platform on the majority of our GAC campuses to increase efficiencies and provide a little more ‘Life in the Balance’ for our compliance directors,” Kedy remarked.

Advice for Other Conferences
Kedy highly recommends that other Division II and III conferences consider a conference-wide adoption of Teamworks. “The individual presentations really helped institutions see the benefit of the product for campus-wide implementation, not just for athletics,” she said. “This is not a DI product that is slightly adapted for other divisions—Teamworks is also a DII and DIII resource.”

Why Teamworks?
Teamworks’ top-notch, personalized customer service stood out to the GAC. “Teamworks is the solution for all your athletic department needs. It has helped us to streamline our processes in compliance as well as enhance our ability to communicate with alumni and stakeholders within our community,” said Cherrie Wilmoth, Southeastern Oklahoma State University Deputy Director of Athletics. “The Teamworks staff worked efficiently with all our onboarding processes and continue to help us with our questions. Their customer service is outstanding.”

A Seamless Rollout
The GAC is grateful for the team that made this rollout seamless. Two GAC institutions already use Compliance + Recruiting and have been very satisfied. During recent compliance meetings, information was exchanged on automating processes with other campus departments, typically time-consuming and energy-draining tasks.

Teamworks is inspired by the GAC’s dedication to paving a new path in Division II athletics, and we are honored to support their mission. We look forward to witnessing the continued success and growth of the GAC and its member institutions as they leverage Teamworks to achieve their goals. The future is bright, and we are excited to be part of this journey.

For more information, visit teamworks.com.

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