Before China Jude came to the United States Sports Academy and earned her master’s degree in Sports Management, she said she never dreamed of overseeing a university’s athletic department.

A stand-out volleyball player at Alabama State University, her work experience had been entirely in parks and recreation before she joined the Academy. Jude earned her master’s in 1996 and has been in sports administration ever since at the college level.

Currently, she is assistant vice president of athletics at Queens College of The City University of New York where she oversees the athletics department’s 19 NCAA Division II varsity sports, as well as student and community recreational programs.

For her proven ability to build and strengthen college sports programs, Jude is the United States Sports Academy’s 2011 Alumna of the Year.

"I was coming from a parks and recreation background,” Jude said. “I had no collegiate experience. I was very fortunate that by the time I completed the Academy and my mentorship with the Senior Bowl, I really had the ability to look at sports as a business. The Academy really prepared me and gave me confidence and the faculty supported and nurtured me. So when I graduated and started working in 1996, I was off and running. I would definitely recommend the Academy to anyone who really wants to work in sports management whether it’s in the college or the corporate world."

Jude recently took over at Queens College after four years as the Director of Athletics at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania—the smallest program in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).

At Cheyney, Jude is credited with helping move the school past a three-year NCAA probationary period, restoring the athletics program to a competitive state and strengthening the booster club through successful fundraising. Under her leadership, she had two PSAC Basketball Coaches of the Year, 30 All-PSAC athletes, eight individual PSAC Championships, two Academic All-Americans, and other regional and national honors. The department also earned a 2010 NCAA Division II Game Environment Award.

She currently is in charge of sports, intramural and recreation programs at Queens College. Its Division II sports include nationally ranked men’s and women’s tennis teams, as well as a fencing team. In addition, she oversees Queens’ successful community recreation programs for youth and adults, which include fitness training, tennis and swimming programs, youth summer camps and a Saturday education and recreation program.

Jude, who recently completed the Management Leadership Education Program at Harvard University, said providing student-athletes positive college academic and athletic experiences are her No. 1 concern.

"Queens College is such a strong academic institution and it has wonderful athletes," Jude said. "Its athletic programs have great potential. The leaders here have great vision and everyone is very excited to grow. I’m ready to throw myself into all the many, new challenges and work with everyone to help Queens advance to the next level."

1989: David J. Essel

M.S.S. in Sports Fitness & Sports Management

Essel is an author, motivational speaker, and professional lifestyle coach.

1990: Ret. Brig. Gen. Lionel Lee, M.D.

M.S.S. in Sports Medicine

Lee serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Singapore's newest and third medical school, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.

1991: Ebie Taylor Strauss

M.S.S. in Sports Fitness

Strauss is a former Ambassador of Sport for the Academy in Bahrain, Korea, and Malaysia. She also served as the first executive director of the Academy’s Alumni Association.

1992: Tom Lewis

M.S.S. in Sports Coaching

Lewis is a former head football coach for Sumter high school (SC). He led his team to 23 straight victories a No. 3 national ranking from ESPN.

1993: S.S. Dhillion

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Dhillion served as the Singapore National Olympic Council’s (SNOC) first Secretary-General for 24 years. In recognition of his contribution to sports in Singapore and Asia, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded Dhillon with the IOC Trophy for “Centennial Olympic Games”.

1994: Mari Tollaksen

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Tollaksen was the director of special projects for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.

1995: Michael K. Behymer

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Behymer is the President of Rhycom Sports, which was founded in April 2010.

1996: John Zinda Jr.

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Zinda was the head coach at Claremont McKenna College in California for 26 seasons.

1997: Dr. 'Pat' Tan Eng Yoon

M.S.S. in Sports Management

The Late Dr. Yoon was president of the United States Sports Academy’s Singapore Alumni Association and the Deputy Executive Director of the Singapore Sports Council.

1998: Dr. Thomas J. Rosandich

Ed.D. in Sports Management, M.S.S. in Sports Management

Rosandich is the Vice President, Chief Academic Officer and Chief Operating Officer at the United States Sports Academy.

1999: Essa Ahmad Al-Jowder

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Al-Jowder served as an Assistant Secretary General for the Council Affairs of the Emir's Royal Court in Bahrain.

2000: Marc Riker

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Riker is the executive director of the Southeast Sports Festival and previous Academy Alumni Association president.

2001: Dr. Robert Dean Boyd

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Boyd is the athletic director and head football coach at Marlboro County High School.

2002: Dr. Fred Cromartie

Ed.D. in Sports Management, M.S.S. in Sports Medicine

Cromartie is the Director of Doctoral Studies at the United States Sports Academy.

2003: Mike Leach

M.S.S. in Sports Coaching

Leach is Washington State University's head football coach and president of the Academy’s Alumni Association.

2004: Scot E. Long

M.S.S. in Sports Fitness

Long is a kinesiology instructor at Mississippi College in Clinton, MS.

2005: Dennis Lindsey

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Lindsey serves as the Vice President/Assistant General Manager for the San Antonio Spurs. He is also the 1st vice president of the Academy’s Alumni Association.

2006: Terry Waldrop

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Waldrop is the winningest head men’s basketball coach in the history of Texas Wesleyan.

2007: Dr. Linda Moore

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Moore has been involved in ESPN's evolution from a sports media outlet to a sports management and production entity for the past 10 years and is currently ESPN's Senior Director of Business Operations and Planning. She is also the 2nd vice president of the Academy’s Alumni Association.

2008: Lynn Wheeler

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Wheeler is the Associate Athletic Director for Sports Programs at the University of Texas.

2009: Ron Laird

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Laird is the commissioner of the Wyoming High Scool Activities Association and president of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

2010: James Vilade

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Vilade is a Double A coach and North Texas scout for the Texas Rangers.

2011: China Jude

M.S.S. in Sports Management

Jude is the assistant vice president of athletics at Queens College of The City University of New York in Flushing, N.Y.