Washington graduate and basketball star Mary Berdo takes job at Yale University

When somebody finds something they love to do, the only thing left is to find the right place to do it.

Mary Berdo is working on finding that perfect place for her career as she started her most recent job at Yale University in April of this year.

'It's fantastic! I have a passion for working in college athletics and Yale is everything I truly believe in - a place where high academics intersect with high-level athletics,” Berdo said.

Berdo is a 15-year administrative veteran who has worked at Colgate, for the National Colegiate Athletic Association and at Michigan.

'I am honored,” Berdo said. 'Yale leads the world in developing global leaders.”

Of course, Washington Demon fans remember her playing basketball for the Demons, twice qualifing for the state tournament.

'I remember as a kid going to the boys basketball games and seeing a packed gym, but that wasn't the case for the girls games,” Berdo said. 'However, the success of our team gave us the opportunity to play in front of a full gym for each game, thanks to the community coming out to support us. I recall many times being on the court during a stoppage in play and looking around at all the familiar faces of our fans and being so grateful for the support.”

At Yale, Berdo is the department's newest Deputy Athletic Director.

'In my role, I get to work closely with our varsity teams and influence our department daily,” Berdo said. 'My day-to-day work involves mostly the internal side of the department, but it's what I enjoy. My boss (Director of Athletics Vicky Chun) is the best in the business, so being able to interact and work alongside her is one of the many highlights of the job.”

Berdo will provide administrative oversight of several varsity programs and many key areas including Equipment Services, Championships and Events Management, Student-Services, and Physical Education and Recreation.

Berdo comes to Yale, which is in New Haven, Connecticut, by way of Colgate University, the NCAA national office and the University of Michigan.

'I am thrilled to welcome Mary to Bulldog Nation,” Thomas A. Beckett Director of Athletics Victoria M. Chun said. 'Mary's broad-based experience will be instrumental in giving our student-athletes a best-in-class experience. She has achieved success at the highest levels at every step of her career. We are excited to have her on our team and look forward to the level of expertise she brings.”

Berdo served as Associate Athletic Director at Colgate University and was promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator in 2018. She was a member of the department's executive senior staff and oversaw the areas of Sports Performance, Equipment Services, the Trudy Fitness Center, and Physical Education and Recreation.

'Vicky hired me away from the NCAA and onto her team at Colgate University in August of 2017 and in February of 2018 she took the job at Yale,” Berdo said. 'That happens a lot in college athletics ... it can be a transient profession. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Colgate; it's in rural, upstate New York and I had the opportunity to get back on campus. However, Vicky offered me another opportunity to work with her at Yale as Deputy Director of Athletics. I fully believe in working for a leader who is progressive, transformative and just an all-around great human, so working for Vicky again at Yale was a no-brainer for me.”

Berdo created a sports administration program at Colgate and had oversight of men's basketball, women's basketball, field hockey, women's lacrosse, women's soccer, volleyball and men's and women's swimming and diving.

Berdo also served on several athletics working groups that developed financial responsibility practices, and facilities and financial aid strategic plans for the university Board of Trustees.

'I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the (Yale) athletics family,” Berdo said. 'I am excited to forge positive relationships with the coaches, faculty, staff and student-athletes.”

Prior to Colgate, Berdo worked eight years at the NCAA national headquarters in the Championships and Alliances Department. She served as the Associate Director of Championships from 2015 to 2017, and Assistant Director from 2009 to 2015. Berdo oversaw and managed championships for Division I field hockey, women's lacrosse, women's soccer (College Cup), men's swimming and diving, women's tennis, volleyball, wrestling, Division II softball, Division III women's basketball and women's golf, and the multidivisional championship for men's gymnastics.

Before joining the NCAA, Berdo spent five years as Assistant Director of Events and Championships at the University of Michigan.

She was the on-site manager for 15 varsity sports and served as assistant tournament director for 10 NCAA and 12 Big Ten championships hosted on the Michigan campus.

'I've been fortunate that all of my jobs have provided me growth and opportunity,” Berdo said. 'However, after stops at the University of Michigan, the NCAA, Colgate University and now Yale University, the latter is my favorite. As previously noted, the opportunity to influence our coaches and staff is extremely rewarding. I am part of an executive team that is working to move the needle and put Yale back at the top of the Ivy League. There are plenty of challenges but seeing gains and experiencing victories of all sizes is what makes the hard work and long hours worth it!”

She earned her bachelor's degree in communication studies in 2001 at the University of Iowa and added a master's in sports administration in 2004 at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Berdo played collegiate basketball at Iowa, helping the Hawkeyes to the 2001 Big Ten tournament championship and automatic NCAA berth.

Berdo can't narrow her favorite memory of playing basketball to a single instance.

'Honestly, it's hard to narrow to one,” she said. 'The first memory is playing with my teammates from the time we were in the fifth grade. Phil Long saw me shooting at my hoop on the farm each night he would drive home from work and decided that he would make a good coach and my grade of girls would make a good team. He was onto something! We were able to change the culture of the Washington Girls Basketball program into one of great success. Secondly, the way the community rallied around our team in high school was phenomenal.”

Phenomenal is a good description of her career as a Demon as she was the first Iowa prep to score 2,000 career points in the five-player era, finishing with 2,206.

A shooter with unlimited range, Berdo led Washington to Class 3A state tournament appearances in 1994 and 1996. In 1994, Washington defeated Denison 59-43 but lost to Central Clinton 68-56 in the semifinals. In 1996, Washington triumphed over Iowa Falls 66-49, but lost the semifinal 72-53 to Vinton-Shellsburg.

Berdo was a first team all-state player for three years from 1994-96.

That athletic career set the stage for her professional career.

'(At Washington,) I learned a lot about the power of teamwork, accountability and work ethic,” Berdo said. 'That triangle of values has been at my core since a young age and I've always taken pride in those areas. Without learning the importance of those areas, I know that I wouldn't be where I am today. When I practiced my basketball skills as a youth in Washington, it was my goal to get a little better each day, and I have transitioned that thought to my career. At the end of the day if I close my office door and I didn't learn one new thing, I feel like it hasn't been a complete day.”

She was inducted into the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Hall of Fame. In 2018, the Des Moines Register named her as one of the ‘Top 50 Best High School Basketball Players” in the state.

Kids have great memories from childhood and when Berdo was asked her favorite, she couldn't pin it down.

'This sounds a bit repetitive, but it's hard to narrow it to one,” she said. 'I spent many days just being a kid - hanging out with my friends at their houses, playing ball at the YMCA, cruising the four lanes, etc. Some of my dearest friends today are ones I've had nearly all of my life. When I think about growing up in Washington, it brings a smile to my face. People are genuine and truly care about you as a person. I love coming home because of the memories I have of the town and the people that I've shared it with.”

Is there any advice she would share with current and future Demons?

'In regard to athletics, have fun! High school is such a fleeing time of a person's life. I experienced a lot of team and individual success in my Washington career, but my best memory was playing a sport that I loved with my friends.

'The highs are high and the lows are low, but the ride is amazing!

'Additionally, work hard and come to practice and games each day ready to improve and challenge yourself and teammates.

'In regard to the classroom, pay attention and work just as hard in academics as you do in your sport(s). Being diligent about completing your work, being engaged in the classroom and stepping up your effort will prepare you for college or the next step after high school.”