Libby Ladrach, who has served as a counselor in The College of Wooster's Longbrake Student Wellness Center since 2019, is transitioning over to the Athletics and Physical Education Department, where she will serve as associate director of athletics, effective August 1.
"Libby's background in student wellness uniquely dovetails with our departmental, conference, and divisional initiatives surrounding the student-athlete experience, said Amy Heasley Williams, Wooster's director of athletics and physical education. "Libby's partnerships around campus and in the greater community will serve to enrich our efforts to educate and develop our students and staff by offering tools and resources to create a welcoming and challenging environment where growth can be nurtured and excellence discovered in the classroom, on the playing surface, and in life. Libby will guide and teach, support and challenge, and celebrate the accomplishments of our students and coaches. Her appointment is distinctive for our department, and the College as a whole will enjoy her infectious enthusiasm for Wooster."
"I am confident Libby will enhance the overall student-athlete experience in a positive way, both in the classroom and on the playing field," added Dennis Rice, Wooster's assistant director of athletics and head cross country and track & field coach, who chaired the search committee. "Libby understands the values and traditions at The College of Wooster, as well as Div. III, that encourage the balance of both academic and student-athlete success. Libby brings great enthusiasm and passion to our department."
"From high school to today, The College of Wooster has been a pillar in my development both personally and professionally," said Ladrach. "Working full-time in college athletics has always been a dream of mine, and I am overjoyed by the opportunity to do so within a department that has continually meant so much to me. Just like in sports, I am very fortunate to have incredible teammates in life. This release cannot nearly be long enough to thank all the individuals who have gotten me to this point, but I am filled with gratitude and appreciation as I recognize I did not make it this far alone."
As associate director of athletics, Ladrach will serve on the department's senior leadership team and will research, design, and implement best practices and comprehensive programming to promote student wellbeing and enhance the student-athlete experience and overall culture of the department. She will develop and maintain mutually supportive and collaborative working relationships with key campus partners. Additionally, Ladrach will work closely with Wooster's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Ladrach's already adept to several of her responsibilities within the athletics department. During her time as a counselor on campus, Ladrach collaborated with the department to provide counseling services inside the Scot Center and Armington Physical Education Center (PEC), the main hub of the athletics department. Additionally, she coordinated conversations regarding campus life and mental health to individual varsity teams in collaboration with members of the coaching staff and was a presenter to SAAC during Div. III Week on campus mental health resources, taking care of yourself, and finding balance with sports and life. Ladrach also served on the search committee this summer for Wooster's men's lacrosse head coach, and previously served as a lecturer for several courses pertaining to sports and physical education.
Prior to returning to Wooster, Ladrach served as a counselor at Kenyon College for nearly three years. There, Ladrach worked closely with the athletics department to provide counseling services within the department and facilitated presentations by several mental health experts on campus. Her professional counseling career started at Wooster as a counseling intern during the 2015-16 academic year. She previously worked as a volunteer assistant basketball coach at Wooster during the 2014-15 season, while also completing a practicum as a counselor trainee while finishing up graduate studies at Walsh University.
As a basketball standout, Ladrach earned third-team All-Ohio honors as a senior at nearby Orrville High School following her senior year. She played one year at Div. I Robert Morris University before continuing her collegiate career at Capital University. She transitioned into a student coach role following a career-ending back injury and gained professional experience as an assistant to the athletic director while completing undergraduate studies.
Ladrach graduated from Capital in 2013 with a bachelor's in art therapy and furthered her education with a master's in clinical mental health counseling at Walsh in 2016. She holds a clinical mental counseling license from the Ohio Counseling Board and is a member of the American Mental Health Counselors Association and the American College Counseling Association.
Ladrach is replacing Ashley Reid who transitioned to the Dean of Students Office full-time as interim associate vice president for student affairs and POSSE Mentor. Reid worked in a variety of administrative positions as assistant and later associate director of athletics since 2015.