On Thursday, April 30, President Jody Fournier emailed the Baker community informing them that Director of Athletics Susan Decker would be leaving the university at the end of the school year.

Decker started at Baker in 2000 as the head women’s basketball coach and held the position until 2011. In 2017, Decker became the assistant director of athletics. Five years later, she stepped into the director of athletics position. When asked about her legacy at Baker, Decker said, “I do not know if I have a legacy, but I do hope people remember how much I care for the student-athletes, the coaches, the staff in the athletic department and Baker as a whole. We have built something very special, and I’m proud to be part of that.”

Decker has contributed quietly to much of Baker’s success, as she has been part of hiring the coaching staff for the past four years. Decker has been a firm supporter of all athletes, serving as a resource students can come to with problems or concerns. Decker also became the first senior woman administrator of Baker University Athletics in 2022 while serving as associate director of athletics under Director of Athletics Nate Houser.

For Decker, the decision to leave Baker was “the hardest decision of my professional career because I care so deeply for Baker.” She has accepted an opportunity at another institution as director of athletics. Filling Decker’s position will not be easy, but the process has already started. Three individuals will serve in the interim role: coach Sean Dooley, coach Miguel Regalado and assistant director of athletics Kyle Pattrick.