SELINSGROVE, PA – Susquehanna University President Jonathan Green announced that Director of Athletics Sharief Hashim will depart the university to become the Vice President of Athletics & Recreation at Saint Mary's College of Maryland. His final day at Susquehanna is Sept. 18.

"Susquehanna University will always hold a special place in my heart," related Hashim. "I arrived at Susquehanna during the uncertainty of a global pandemic, and from the very beginning, I was welcomed with open arms by the campus community. Over the past six years, I've had the privilege of working alongside incredible coaches, student-athletes, staff, campus partners, alumni and friends of the University who believed in our vision and contributed in so many ways to our collective success.

"I'm incredibly proud of what we accomplished together, but I'm even more grateful for the relationships built along the way. The championships, record-setting performances, growth in athletics enrollment, fundraising successes, and enhanced student-athlete experiences were only possible because of the commitment of so many people across the Susquehanna community.

"As I begin the next chapter of my professional journey, I leave with tremendous gratitude and pride in what we built together. I will always be a supporter of Susquehanna, our coaches and, most importantly, the student-athletes who made this experience so meaningful."

Susquehanna Associate Athletic Director Jim Findlay will serve as Interim Athletic Director as the search for a new Director of Athletics begins. Additionally, Assistant Athletic Director and Head Field Hockey Coach Allison Fordyce has been named Senior Woman Administrator, while Head Women's Basketball Coach Gabby Holko will serve as Interim Compliance Coordinator.

Hashim began his tenure at Susquehanna in May 2020. Over the last six years, he led Susquehanna University Athletics through many significant milestones. The first was the challenging landscape of returning to athletic competition in the spring of 2021, following the COVID-19 pandemic. A year later, Susquehanna captured its most recent Landmark Conference Presidents' Trophy, winning conference titles in men's basketball, men's indoor track & field, women's indoor track & field, men's outdoor track & field, and softball. The department also finished in the top 100 of the Learfield Directors' Cup in 96th place for all of NCAA Division III.

The 2022–23 season also produced six conference championships; two of which were unprecedented in football winning the Centennial Conference and women's outdoor track & field capturing their first team Landmark title. Women's cross country also raised the Landmark banner, as did men's indoor and outdoor track & field and baseball.

The 2023–24 year marked another first as the Landmark Conference's addition of football granted all 23 varsity programs competing under one conference. Football capitalized on their new home by winning the last three Landmark titles between 2023 and 2025, while making history reaching the NCAA Division III National Semifinals in 2024 and the National Quarterfinals in 2025. Field hockey also posted consecutive Landmark titles in 2023 and 2024, while reaching the Landmark championship game in 2025. The men's track & field team continued its rise, having won the last five Landmark indoor titles, while outdoors won five straight team championships from 2021 to 2025, as well as the All-Atlantic Region Track & Field Conference (AARTC) outdoor championship in 2025.

Beyond competition, River Hawks continued to hold a high standard on and off the playing surface, with student-athletes recognized with numerous academic distinctions across the country.

A collaborator across campus, Hashim worked closely within the Division of Student Life and other key stakeholders, such as Academic Affairs, Finance & Administration, Enrollment Management, Marketing & Communications, and Advancement. His commitment to improving the athletics experience has been met with several facility enhancements, including renovations in the Jacobs Fitness Center, a new video board and ProGrass playing surface at Doug Arthur Stadium, and live streaming capabilities that has thrust Susquehanna University's athletics broadcasts among the best in NCAA Division III.

Prior to Susquehanna, Hashim served as Director of Athletics at Southern Vermont College from 2016 to 2018 and SUNY Potsdam from 2018 to 2020. He held several positions at Southern Vermont, joining the staff as junior varsity men's basketball coach, athletics liaison and admissions counselor in April 2014. During the 2016 –17 season, he also served as interim head women's basketball coach. Hashim was appointed Interim Director of Athletics in October 2016, before having his interim tag removed in July 2017. He moved on to SUNY Potsdam the following year. Some of his highlights included Potsdam receiving an NCAA Division III Ethnic Minority and Women's Internship Grant, becoming one of 23 Division III institutions selected nationally. He also oversaw the addition of men's volleyball as a varsity sport.

Before making the transition to college athletics, Hashim, a native of the Maryland-Washington, D.C. area, was the varsity boys basketball coach at Wheaton High School in Silver Spring, Md. While coaching, he also spent five years as a recreation specialist for the Montgomery County (Md.) Recreation Department. He briefly served as a park and recreation specialist for the Fairfax County (Va.) government before leaving for Southern Vermont.

Hashim is a graduate of the 2016 NCAA Division III Institute for Administrative Advancement, a professional development program for mid-level athletic administrators of color. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) and the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA).

Hashim is a 2008 graduate of Columbia Union College and holds a bachelor's degree in organizational management with a minor in counseling psychology. He earned a master's degree in athletic administration from Southern New Hampshire University in 2016.