There’s an office at the Sports and Recreation Center complex in Cheney, WA, that almost always has its light on, its door open, and yet—more often than not—it’s empty. Don’t worry, the lights get turned off when Tim Collins finally leaves.
But that’s the catch: he’s rarely in the office. Which is a good thing.
Collins, Eastern Washington’s Associate Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, is on the go.
Always.
So what exactly does an athletic director at a Division I institution do?
We asked Collins to share his weekly calendar to give some perspective. The short answer: everything.
From fundraising and approvals, to game operations and media obligations, to even sneaking in time to pick up his kids from school activities—his days rarely stop. In fact, there are times on his calendar when he’s scheduled to be in multiple meetings at once.
“First and foremost, I am a father and a husband,” Collins said. “Right after my family is my other family, Eastern Washington Athletics. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here and to be a Division I athletic director. Like any job, there are long hours, but I never really feel like I’m working. It’s something I truly love. No doubt there are sacrifices we make as a family at times. But there’s also the incredible opportunity that Kennedy (12) and James (10) get to grow up looking up to our student-athletes—what an amazing blessing!”
A Calendar That Never Empties
“There’s always something to do,” Collins explained. “Sometimes the best things is a meeting that gets out early, I’ve learned the value of a gift of time.”
He laughs that his wife, Renee, jokes about having to “book” him just to make sure things don’t slip through the cracks.
“The industry is so fast-paced, full-court press, that sometimes it’s easy to forget something,” Collins admitted. “You need to be hyper-aware of the calendar, schedules, and everything going on—not just with athletics but also the university.”
Collins is a believer not just in books to help manage tasks and time, but also in digital tools. He’s an avid user of Trello, which he credits for helping him efficiently capture to-dos, track progress in real time, and boost productivity for both individuals and teams. The web-based app has been part of his routine for years—he was first introduced to it at Fresno State by then-head coach Kalen DeBoer, who he says still uses the program today.
Crossing the State, Chasing Opportunities
This past summer offered a perfect snapshot of the balancing act. Collins helped coordinate with the Seattle Mariners, Eastern Washington alum Cooper Kupp, and campus partners for a ceremonial first pitch.
The catch?
He also had Big Sky Conference Athletics Director meetings in Spokane the same weekend.
“So the morning after the Big Sky Hall of Fame, I flew to Seattle, and was there for the Alumni Association’s pregame social and Coop’s first pitch. And now, I love baseball—there’s nothing like a summer game, hot dog, friends, and throw Cooper Kupp in the mix? Absolutely. But this time? I was there for the first inning and then went right back to SEA-TAC to get on Zoom for the conference meetings that led into football media days.”
For those unfamiliar with Eastern Washington’s geography, that’s a five-hour drive from Cheney to Seattle. Without private aviation and having to go through the commercial terminal, it’s a logistical grind.
Additionally, Collins prides himself on being accessible to student-athletes, coaches, campus constituents, and community members. Sometimes being accessible means being out of the office and visible.
“We have an incredible team here at EWU. I’ve found it a more valuable use of my time to take a lap around our department and pop into an office, a practice, or the training room. In my mind, I get a better pulse on what’s happening and what challenges our team is facing by doing that than by sitting behind my desk.”
Energy That Fuels a Department
Another FCS athletic director summed up Collins this way: “Tim is a lightning rod of energy—exactly what Eastern Washington needed.”
That energy has been a throughline in his career. Collins was named the 15th athletic director in EWU history on June 9, 2023, after serving as Senior Associate Athletics Director for Development at Fresno State, where he oversaw revenue development. A five-year span that included COVID, also saw record-breaking years for the Bulldog Foundation and Athletics Fundraising. Before that, he was a part of $100 million worth of projects at Wyoming and steadily built a reputation as a leader who blends fundraising savvy with a coach’s work ethic.
“Tim Collins brings an impressive track record of leadership, collaboration, and fundraising that will help strengthen Eastern athletics and ensure the success of students on and off the field,” EWU President Shari McMahan said when he was hired.
More Than a Job
That mission is why his office lights are often on.
For Collins, the calendar isn’t just a checklist of tasks. It’s a reflection of the juggling act every athletic director lives with. It’s not just the nine-to-five, because the majority of the department’s focal points occur between 6 and 10 pm.
“There’s always something to do,” he said. “But that’s the point. Every one of those things, from as big as a meeting with the Board of Trustees, or as small as coordinating a group ticket discount for one of our corporate sponsors, they all move Eastern Washington forward.”
