SAN JOSE, Calif. — San José State Senior Deputy Athletics Director Scott MacDonald has been named to the Silver Waves Media Top 100 Rising Athletic Directors/Future ADs list, recognizing the nation’s top senior-level administrators making a significant impact across collegiate athletics.
MacDonald, who leads external operations for Spartan Athletics, has helped transform San José State’s revenue generation, fundraising, brand visibility, and overall student-athlete experience since arriving in August 2021. He also serves as sport administrator for football, women’s swimming and diving, and women’s golf, while representing the institution nationally as a member of the NCAA Women’s Golf Committee.
“Scott is one of the most innovative and forward-thinking leaders in collegiate athletics today,” said San José State Director of Athletics Jeff Konya. “I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside Scott for more than a decade, and throughout that time, he has consistently demonstrated the vision, leadership, and relationship-building skills that are essential for success as a Director of Athletics. This recognition is incredibly well deserved, and I have no doubt he is ready to lead an athletics department of his own.”
Among MacDonald’s accomplishments at San José State:
- Increased fundraising by more than 45 percent over the past several years, including securing multiple multi-million dollar gifts.
- Served as Tournament Director for the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Regional Championship, hosted by the San Jose Sports Authority and San Jose Sharks at SAP Center.
- Created and facilitated the department’s first subscription-based model combining fundraising, ticket sales, hospitality, and parking, earning recognition as a finalist for Innovation of the Year in 2023 alongside TCU and Memphis.
- Played a key leadership role during one of the most successful competitive stretches in school history, with football and men’s basketball earning NCAA postseason berths in two of the last three seasons, including hosting the first-ever NIT game in 2025.
- Serve as Executive Producer of The Charge, SJSU’s All-Access Show, which has been nominated for the Sports Video Group (SVG) Most Outstanding Program series in previous years.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Jeff (Konya) for his mentorship and trust he has provided over the last 12 years,” MacDonald said. “He has allowed me to grow as a servant leader, take chances within the industry to be first to market with innovative ideas, and build creative teams that have pushed San José State’s content and brand across every platform. This recognition is truly a reflection of the talented staff, coaches, and student-athletes I’ve had the privilege to work alongside throughout my career.”
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