Administrator Bios
Mark Papich - Athletic Director
Prior to the summer of 2001 and becoming head of Incarnate Word's 19-sport athletic department (synchronized swimming, men's and women's swimming, and most recently football have been instituted with his leadership), Mark Papich was and continues to be involved with the Cardinals volleyball team albeit not as head coach any more. He also is director of the campus Wellness Center, and of the Ann Barshop Natatorium.
In talking with the New Kensington, Pa., native, be prepared for the conversation to include tidbits about upgrading athletic facilities, about usage of those facilities, about recruiting, camps, the funding of all teams, about eligibility of athletes, and on and on and on.
And, in the spring of 2004, he was a point person is the implementation of changing the Incarnate Word mascot from Crusaders to Cardinals, a process which is on-going.
In fact, it was volleyball which brought him to UIW in the fall of 1995 as the team's assistant coach.
In 1996 as the interim coach, Papich saw his Cardinals win 20 matches for the first time in four years. Then came 1997 and all kinds of excitement as Incarnate Word won a school record 31 matches and tied for the old Heart of Texas Conference title. But that was only the cake. The icing was winning the NAIA Southwest Regional tournament and advancing to the national championships for the first time ever.
Following that season, the American Volleyball Coaches Association named Papich the Tachikara Region Coach of the Year. That honor from his fellow coaches came on top of his being named NAIA Southwest Region Coach of the Year as well as the Heart of Texas Conference Coach of the Year. That made him the most decorated Crusader volleyball coach ever for a year.
His cumulative mark at Incarnate Word is 124-124 which makes him the winningest volleyball coach ever at UIW.
A member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, Papich holds a bachelor of science degree in industrial design from the University of Cincinnati. While an undergraduate he played baseball and lacrosse.
Dr. Sandra Strickland - Faculty Athletic Representative
Dr. Sandra Strickland, a longtime member of the Incarnate Word faculty, is serving as the UIW faculty athletic representative.
An associate professor in the department of nursing and chair of the master's program in nursing, Dr. Strickland will work closely with all members of the Cardinals athletic department as well as the Heartland Conference and the NCAA.
A native of Victoria, Texas, she holds a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, a master's degree in nursing from the University of Maryland, and a doctor of public health from the University of Texas in Houston.
She is a member and second vice president of the Texas Public Health Association. She also holds memberships in the American Public Health Association and Sigma Theta Tau.
Having played tennis, softball and basketball back "in the dark ages", Dr. Strickland lists all sports and gardening as her hobbies.
Her children are William (UIW senior student), Angela (UIW graduate), Thomas and Diana.
B. J. Lough - Athletic Trainer
B. J. Lough arrived on the Incarnate Word campus the first of November of 2002, and immediately landed right in the middle of the multitude of duties associated with being the head athletic trainer for Cardinal athletics.
At UIW, he is charged with the care and well being of student-athletes from 17 teams. He will be on both ends of and in the middle of athletic-related injuries and illnesses. B. J. and his staff of assistants, graduate assistants and student assistants will offer instruction in the prevention of injuries, will treat them when they occur, and will follow up with rehabilitation assignments.
All of this will continue to occur in two complete and separate training facilities: the original training room in the McDermott Center, and the sparkling new area in the Barshop Natatorium.
And, Lough will carry out a teaching assignment in the University's physical education department, in particular, the now-three-year-old course of study for athletic training.
A graduate of the University of Findlay (Ohio) with a bachelor's in athletic training (1995) and a master's in educational technology (2000), Lough is NATABOC certified as well as holding a certification from the American Red Cross for first aid and CPR. He also holds a training license from the states of Ohio and Texas.
Since January of 1999, he was a Certified Athletic Trainer at Findlay with responsibilities in six different sports. Prior to that time, he was a CAT with Optima Rehabilitation Services in Tiffin Ohio.
Vanessa Reyes - Assistant Athletic Trainer
Vanessa Reyes is the fulltime assistant athletic trainer in Incarnate Word's athletic department.
She arrived on campus mid-year of 2000-2001 as a graduate assistant. In the spring of 2003 she completed her master's degree in adult education.
A native of El Paso, and a product of Hanks High School in that border city, Reyes earned a bachelor's degree in athletic training from New Mexico State University. She has achieved certification in the State of Texas and is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association.
While her concentration this year is with volleyball, baseball, men's and women's swimming, and synchronized swimming, Vanessa has spent time with every sport at one time or another during her tenure at UIW. If there is spare time in her busy schedule, Vanessa spends it reading, watching movies and with her dog, Agnes.
Vanessa's biggest athletic memory is from the time at New Mexico State when, while working the sideline as student trainer, she was tackled in the Aggies-Army game.
Lisa Townzen - Administrative Assistant
Lisa Townzen works as the athletic department administrative assistant and directly for Athletic Director Mark Papich, Lisa Townzen has been at Incarnate Word.
Prior to coming to UIW, she was in the fields of marketing and sales.
A San Antonio native, Lisa graduated from Lee High School and then continued her studies at Texas Lutheran and the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Lisa says the CD in her BMW automobile is Kenny Chesney.
Her husband is Brock, their son is Garrett (12), and her cousin is Joel Horlen, former big league pitcher who once tossed a no-hitter.
Wayne Witt - Sports Information Director
Wayne Witt arrived at Incarnate Word in the summer of 1997 and has worked as the Cardinals sports information director since that time.
Prior to UIW, he was with the Miami Heat basketball team. That was his second stint in the National Basketball Association, the first being with the San Antonio Spurs. In between, he worked two seasons of Texas League Double A baseball with the San Antonio Missions.
A native of Sweetwater, and an ardent follower of that city's Mustang athletic teams, he is a graduate of Trinity University in San Antonio. A lover of blueberry muffins, salsa music and most sporting activities, he is heavily invested in Humphrey Bogart movies.
