Pirates hire Kehler
Jason Kehler has been named Orange Coast College Athletic Director, Michael Sutliff, the school’s Dean of Kinesiology and Athletics said Thursday.
Kehler, 33, who officially joins the Pirates’ staff on July 5, comes to OCC after a 10-year stint at Santa Ana College, where he served as the school’s sports information coordinator and, for the past two years, as the school’s assistant director of athletics and sports information.
“Jason will be a fantastic athletic director for Orange Coast College,” Sutliff said in a statement, after heading a national search. “He comes highly recommended and has the background and experience to maintain and expand the high quality programming student athletics currently enjoy at OCC.”
Kehler’s hiring comes months after OCC received sanctions that originally included a one-year postseason ban for all sports from the governing body for California community college athletics. The sanctions were later reduced to affect only football, though a concern about institutional control imposed guidelines to monitor athletic department proficiency, particularly as it relates to compliance issues.
In addition to his duties at Santa Ana, Kehler served as the vice president and president of the California Community College Sports Information Assn. from 2010-2014. In that role, he provided leadership and guidance to other sports information professionals in the state.
“Joining the athletic department at Orange Coast is kind of surreal,” Kehler said in a statement. “It’s one of the premier athletic departments in the California Community College Athletic Assn. and to be a part of it is truly an honor. After watching Coast from the other side of the field for all of these years, and getting to know members of the staff, it’s a privilege to now be a part of it.
“I can’t say enough good things about my time at Santa Ana College. I got to work with a lot of great people and watched some amazing student-athletes over the years. It’s tough to leave and say goodbye, but I’m excited for this next chapter at the same time.”
Kehler earned the Brass Top Award as the top sports information director in the state in 2014. He also served on two CCCAA Management Council subcommittees for the implementation of statewide statistics and social media.
Kehler was a part of several committees throughout his 10-year tenure at Santa Ana and was the Webmaster for the Orange Empire Conference’s website. He was also the conference’s statistician and writer for women’s soccer (2010-2016), women’s basketball (2012-2016) and softball (2012-2016).
“I think my knowledge of the CCCAA and the OEC stands out as a trait that will allow me to serve the athletic department well,” Kehler said. “I’m looking to combine that with my ability to work with a wide range of individuals to strive for the expectations that Coast has set. For me, it’s about motivating others to do the best job they can so that we all enjoy the success together.”
During his tenure as Santa Ana’s assistant athletic director, Kehler served as the conference’s AD representative for softball for two seasons.
“Jason joined the CCCSIA in 2006 and immediately became one of the top newcomers of our association,” OCC Sports Information Director Tony Altobelli said. “His hard work, determination and leadership qualities vaulted him to one of the most respected individuals in the CCCAA, not just in our association.”
Kehler graduated from California State in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in communications and earned his master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration in 2012 from Concordia University in Irvine.
“I believe Jason will provide the right leadership that forges a relevant and current vision for Orange Coast College athletics and I expect he will be innovative and entrepreneurial in his programming and management of the athletic department,” Sutliff said. “Jason is well-versed in the CCCAA constitution and has worked closely with coaches and staff in maintaining departmental compliance at his previous institution. I look for Jason to do the same at Orange Coast College while expanding our programming and improving our mechanisms to support a culture of compliance.”