Athletic Director

Bio

Mary Young serves as the Athletic Director at Central Community College, where she provides leadership for the Raiders’ athletic programs and continues a long legacy of excellence in collegiate athletics. A nationally respected figure within the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), Young is recognized for her championship coaching career, commitment to academic success, and extensive service in leadership roles across the association.

Prior to moving fully into athletic administration, Young built one of the most successful junior college volleyball programs in the country during her tenure as head coach of the CCC Raiders, a role she held from 1997 to 2025. During that time, she surpassed 800 career NJCAA victories and led the Raiders to 14 Region 9 championships, 17 Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference (NCCAC) titles, and 11 NJCAA National Tournament appearances, including nine Top 10 finishes. Her teams produced more than 100 All-Conference athletes, 98 All-Region players, 26 NJCAA All-Americans, and three American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Americans. In the classroom, 101 of her student-athletes earned NJCAA Academic Awards.

In recognition of her remarkable career, Young was inducted into the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2024. She was named NJCAA District Volleyball Coach of the Year 11 times and Region 9 Coach of the Year 17 times, while also earning 14 NCCAC Coach of the Year honors. She was selected as the AVCA West Region Coach of the Year in 2002, 2008, and 2011.  Under her leadership, the Raiders were named NJCAA Volleyball Academic Team of the Year in 2012.  In 2018, Young received the John & Suann Roueche Excellence Award from the League for Innovation and was named a finalist for the Omaha World-Herald Midlands Coach of the Year.

Young continues to play a major leadership role in shaping junior college athletics nationally. She currently serves as the Women’s Senior Administrator for the NJCAA and as Chair of the NJCAA Coaches Association Board of Directors. She also serves on several national committees, including Sports Governance, Championships, Eligibility, Appeals, and the NJCAA Hall of Fame Committee. In Spring 2024, Young was honored with the NJCAA George E. Killian Award of Excellence, recognizing extraordinary leadership and service to the association. Later that year, she received the Nebraska Community College Association (NCCA) Administrator Award for her outstanding leadership in athletics at Central Community College.

Throughout her career, Young has held numerous leadership roles across NJCAA governance, including serving as Director and Assistant Director for Region 9 and as an inaugural member of the NJCAA Board of Regents. She has also chaired multiple national committees, including the NJCAA Beach Volleyball Committee, Division II Court Volleyball Committee, and the NJCAA Health and Safety Committee. Her service has extended across a variety of sport and governance committees focused on student-athlete welfare and national policy development.

Originally from Arcadia, Nebraska, Young is a graduate of Central Community College–Columbus. She earned a bachelor’s degree in recreation from the University of South Dakota and a master’s degree in counseling–student affairs from the University of Nebraska–Omaha. She resides in Columbus with her husband, Joel, and their two children, Kaden and Gabbi.