Colorado State University Pueblo Vice President for Athletics and Strategic Partnerships Dr. Paul Plinske has announced the promotion of Jenna (McKinley) Fall as the new Associate Athletic Director for Compliance and Student-Athlete Development. Additionally, she will take on the role as athletics department's Senior Woman Administrator. Fall begins her new duties on Aug, 1.
"Pack Athletics is excited to name Jenna (McKinley) Fall as its Associate Athletic Director for Compliance and Student-Athlete Development. She has had one heck of a run as a student-athlete and administrator at CSU Pueblo," Dr. Plinske said. "Her rise is not a surprise to many who know the quality of her character and her overall competence. She has big shoes to fill in replacing our previous Associate AD, Kelly Perry. In fact, CSU Pueblo can boast of having three of the best rising administrators in the country who have held this important role previously. I am looking forward to seeing great things out of Jenna as she handles both compliance and student-athlete development. She will also serve in the critical role of Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) as we make strategic decisions to create an athletic powerhouse."
Fall replaces Kelly Perry, who stepped down from the position in mid-July to become the Director of Athletics at University of North Texas-Dallas, an NAIA school located in Dallas, Texas.
"CSU Pueblo has become my home throughout the last seven years, I have a wide range of institutional knowledge as I have seen almost every angle you can on this campus. From being a Student-Athlete, Professor, and Administrator," Fall said. "I am absolutely thrilled and honored to have been selected for the position of Associate Athletic Director, Compliance and Student-Athlete Development, while also serving as the department's Senior Woman Administrator. I have big shoes to fill, but I'm excited to begin this journey and to learn more from Dr. (Paul) Plinske. I'm grateful that he had the confidence to allow me this opportunity and I look forward to working with all university employees, as well as, serving our student-athletes. GO PACK!!"
Fall moves into her new position with Pack Athletics after spending the past two years as the Assistant Athletic Director of Facilities and Events. In that position, McKinley was involved in organizing and administrating a plethora of sporting events, including capping her tenure in that position as the Director of the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships that were hosted this past May at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl.
Prior to getting into athletic administration, McKinley spent five years as a thrower on the CSU Pueblo women's track and field program.
In her time as a student-athlete with the Pack, Fall earned All-American honors in the shot put as a senior in 2021 and took home the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Indoor Track and Field Championship in the shot put.
Along with her success in the throwing events, Fall was also a three-time member of the RMAC All-Academic Team and received the Tundra Spirit of the Pack Award in August of 2020.
In 2022, Fall was presented with the Women Leaders Rising Executives Rising Star Award by the Women Leaders in College Sports. The Rising Star Award recognizes volunteers, interns, student (undergraduate/graduate), and part-time staff who are early in their career and demonstrate potential to make significant leadership impact in the future. This award goes to those who have an interest in pursuing a career in athletics administration.
Fall, who was awarded the 2021 CSU Pueblo Threlkeld Prize for Excellence, also worked in the CSU Athletics Department during her time as a student-athlete. She worked for the CSU Pueblo Recreation Center as the desk supervisor and was also an intern for the CSU Pueblo Athletics Department working with the Associate Athletic Director of External Relations during the 2019-20 school year.
She was a Summa Cum Laude graduate (3.962 GPA) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Exercise Science, Health Promotion and Recreation in 2021 from CSU Pueblo and obtained her master's degree in education from CSP Pueblo in 2022.
Fall, who is a native of Mosca, Colo., and graduated from Sangre de Cristo High School, married former CSU Pueblo football player Momar Fall on July 15, 2023, and the couple resides in Pueblo.
