Each Monday of the fall semester, we’ll be bringing you three different “Getting to Know Them” profiles on coaches, athletic administrators and athletic trainers at Slippery Rock to introduce you to the folks behind the scenes here at The Rock. Next up, we check in with assistant athletic director and senior woman administrator Andrea Miller Grady.

QUICK BIO
Andrea Miller Grady is in her third year in charge of NCAA compliance at Slippery Rock, where she serves as the assistant athletic director and senior woman administrator (SWA). In her role at SRU, Grady oversees compliance for all 17 of SRU’s NCAA sports while also serving as the advisor for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). A 2012 graduate of Slippery Rock with a bachelor’s in exercise science, Grady began her career in collegiate athletics by working in the compliance office as a student at SRU. She earned a master’s degree from Indiana University (Pa.) in 2013. Prior to joining the SRU staff in Sept. of 2018, she spent three years in the compliance office at The Ohio State University, where she was an associate director. 

IN HER WORDS
Q: What’s the first concert you went to? What’s the most recent concert you went to?
A: First concert was either the Spice Girls or Hanson. Most recent was The Chainsmokers.

Q: What was your favorite subject in school? Why?
A: My favorite subject in school was Spanish. I enjoyed learning a new language and actually had the chance to go to Spain in high school for an exchange program.

Q: What was your first job growing up?
A: In high school I worked at a restaurant as a cashier/server.

Q: When did you know you wanted to go into a career in collegiate athletics?
A: I knew from a young age that I wanted to be involved in sports in one way or another but didn’t decide to work in collegiate athletics until my senior year in college.

Q: What was the last book you read? Thoughts on it?
A: Currently reading Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. It’s an awesome book on how to be vulnerable in life.

Q: What’s your all-time favorite movie? You can give us a few if you can’t pick just one.
A: Pride and Prejudice, 16 Candles, Father of the Bride and the Harry Potter series.

Q: How do you relax?
A: I work out, read a good book or binge watch something on Netflix.

Q: What’s your favorite meal?
A: Chicken Parmesan.

Q: What meal/dish/item are you best at cooking? 
A: Tacos or chicken Marsala.

Q: Tell us about your family.
A: My husband is a collegiate basketball coach and we just welcomed the most perfect baby boy named Jinnix into the world in July. My dad is a retired PE teacher and my mom is a retired financial aid administrator. They now live in the Harrisburg area and enjoy being grandparents, traveling and golfing. I have an older sister, Marisa, and she has a beautiful daughter, Evie.

Q: What was your first car? What’s your dream car?
A: First car was a Kia Optima and I’m not sure if I have a dream car.

Q: What artists and/or songs on your current most-listened to playlist?
A: Mostly country but sometimes the hair nation channel or oldies stations.

Q: Favorite current TV show? Favorite TV show of all-time?
A: Favorite current TV show is probably anything on the Food Network or The Blacklist and my favorite TV show of all-time is probably Gilmore Girls.

Q: What’s your favorite season/type of weather? Why?
A: Fall, I love when the leaves start to change, eating pumpkin flavored things and all of the fall scents and that sports are starting back up!

Q: When you go grocery shopping, are you the “Make a List” person or the “Just Wing It” person?
A: Just wing it, which is probably why I leave with way more than I need every time I go to the store.

Q: What was your favorite or most memorable vacation?
A: I did a study abroad trip to Ireland and got to travel all over Europe while I was there.

Q: Where is one place you haven’t visited yet, but you definitely plan to?
A: Greece.

Q: You could have dinner with three people living or dead, who would they be and why? 
A: Michelle Obama, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Queen Elizabeth. They are extremely important women in history and I’m sure would have great stories to tell.

Q: Are you a tech savvy person?
A: No.

Q: Describe your perfect day off.
A: Spending the day with my family where there is no schedule or no place to be and we can just enjoy time with each other. 

Q: Do you listen to podcasts? If so, what are your favorites?
A: Yes, I’m currently listening to the Women Leaders in College Sports podcast and the Michelle Obama podcast.

Q: What is your biggest fear?
A: Snakes.

Q: Who is your hero? 
A: My parents.

Q: Can you sing?
A: No. 

Q: You can only eat one thing the rest of your life, what is it?
A: Anything with chicken or donuts.

Q: Fly or drive for a long trip?
A: Either.

Q: How did you decide on your kids’ names or pet names?
A: My husband has picked both. Our son’s name, Jinnix, came from a street sign and our dog’s name, Clarence, came from his favorite movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Q: How many and what kind of pets do you have? How long have you had them?
A: One dog named Clarence and he is almost two years old.

Q: Cats or dogs?
A: Dogs. I’m allergic to cats.

Q: Is a hot dog a sandwich?
A: No.

Q: Does pineapple belong on pizza?
A: No.

Q: Sheetz or WaWa?
A: Sheetz.

Q: What’s the last TV show you binged watched?
A: Lots of Netflix shows. Gilmore Girls, Selling Sunset, NCIS, Virgin River.

Q: How long can you go without looking at your phone?
A: Depends on if I am working or not. Probably a few hours.

Q: What was the last app you downloaded on your phone? What is your most-used app?
A: The last app downloaded was Citi Bank and most used is probably Amazon right now.

Q: What’s one game show or reality show you could go on that you think you could win?
A: Press Your Luck or Family Feud

Q: Retirement destination?
A: Anywhere warm.

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