Azure Davey, a Lowville native and 1996 graduate of Lowville Academy, was appointed as the commissioner of the State University of New York Athletic Conference on Thursday.

She will succeed Dr. Patrick R. Damore, the conference’s founding commissioner who served for 33 years. Her term will begin on July 9.

“I am very excited and honored,” said the 34-year-old Davey. “The conference has such a rich tradition, and I see this as a great opportunity to put the SUNYAC on a national platform.”

Davey’s duties will include administrative oversight of all of the conference’s sports programs for men and women, including championships and special events, and she will administer its program-development efforts and day-to-day operational planning. Officiating, compliance and conference schedules will also be among her responsibilities. Davey will manage the annual operating budget, and she will coordinate contacts with prospective sponsors and affiliated organizations.

Davey said that one of her biggest personal agendas is to ensure more Division III athletes are profiled for their off-the-field accomplishments.

At Lowville, Davey starred in soccer, basketball and softball. She missed portions of her high school career due to tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in each of her knees, in separate instances 10 months apart.

“Small town communities like the ones in Northern New York, they breed hard workers who understand their responsibilities to their community,” Davey said. “I learned how to get things done collectively when you’re working with a group of individuals with different backgrounds, how to work with people. That has served me well throughout my life.”

Davey continued her athletic career at Division III Hamilton University, where she played four years of soccer, three years of squash and one season of lacrosse.

As Hamilton’s goalie in soccer, Davey earned regional All-America, New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association and Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association honors.

Davey received a bachelor of arts in government and classical studies from Hamilton in 2000, and then earned her master of science in general education in 2004 from Elmira College.

Davey most recently worked for the NCAA as an associate director of academic and membership affairs for Division III for nearly six years, which she said has helped her gain an understanding of the “bigger picture,” of Division III athletics.

Davey previously served a two-year stint at SUNY Cortland as assistant athletic director in charge of compliance, student services and scheduling.

Davey was the head coach for both women’s soccer and women’s lacrosse at Utica College from 2000-02. Her 2002 women’s soccer team was among the top 20 improved squads in Division III, enhancing its record from 3-12 the previous season to 8-7. Davey was the assistant field hockey and women’s lacrosse coach at Elmira College in the 2003-04 season.

“My background is in Division III sports and I have a strong passion for that,” Davey said. “I’ve always had an interest in the SUNYAC and the competitive excellence in the conference.”

The members of the SUNYAC Conference are The College at Brockport; Buffalo State; SUNY Cortland; Fredonia State; SUNY Geneseo; SUNY New Paltz; SUNY Oneonta; SUNY Oswego; Plattsburgh State; and SUNY Potsdam. SUNY Morrisville is an affiliate member in the sports of field hockey and ice hockey.

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