Beyond the brackets: Reimagining sports leadership for a changing era

Each spring, March Madness captivates millions of fans across the country. Brackets fill out, buzzer-beaters dominate highlight reels, and the drama of postseason competition unfolds on a national stage.

But beyond the spectacle, the tournament also brings into focus the pressures facing today’s student-athletes—and the leaders responsible for guiding them.

That reality sits at the heart of the Master of Education in Sports Administration and Leadership (MSAL) at the USC Rossier School of Education. The online graduate program was designed to prepare sports leaders who understand that success in athletics depends not only on performance but also on the well-being and development of the people within the system. For two of the program’s architects, that mission reflects their own journeys in sports.

A deeper view of leadership

Julie Rousseau, senior associate athletic director at USC and faculty member in the MSAL program, brings more than 25 years of coaching experience to the classroom, including at the WNBA level. Over time, her work in athletics led her to ask broader questions about leadership, human development, and the systems that shape athletes' and coaches’ experiences.

After more than two decades in coaching, Rousseau made the bold decision to return to the classroom not once, but twice. She pursued a master’s degree in psychology and later earned a PhD in human systems engineering, shifting her focus toward understanding the deeper human dynamics that shape the sports industry, particularly leadership.

“I wanted to continue growing,” Rousseau says. “I went back to school to obtain my master’s in psychology, got my PhD in human systems engineering, and I continue to learn how I can keep getting better at what I’m doing, whether that is coaching, sports administration or simply being a better human being.”

Rousseau’s academic journey marked a turning point. Leadership was no longer just about coaching teams to win games. It became about building people and systems that support growth, integrity, and well-being.

Today, as senior associate athletic director at USC, Rousseau leads and supervises a team within the athletic department, helping to develop and implement strategic initiatives that support the department’s goals, while collaborating with key stakeholders to ensure USC athletics continues to thrive by supporting athletes’ development at USC and beyond.

Her personal evolution reflects a broader shift in the world of sports. There is growing recognition that the most effective leaders are not only strategic thinkers but also empathetic mentors who prioritize the well-being of those they lead.

Seeing athletes as people first has long shaped Rousseau’s approach to sport. Her doctoral research examined high stress experienced by Division I head basketball coaches and the role it plays in the symbiotic relationship between head coaches and their players. She also identified the impact of stress on coaches’ performance and how they manage relationships across their programs, from players to assistant coaches.

She found that strong leadership is rooted in creating the conditions for all participants to grow.

“Environment plays a critical role in how well all participants, including head coaches, staff, and athletes, can give their best performance. If the soil in the environment is nourished, whatever is planted in that soil will flourish, ” Rousseau says.

Leadership rooted in service

Cory Buckner, associate professor of clinical education at USC Rossier and faculty lead for MSAL, brings nearly two decades of experience in athletic administration and a longstanding commitment to values-driven and mentor leadership.

For Buckner, effective leadership begins with service. As the son of NCAA champion Quinn Buckner, he inherited stories about discipline, preparation and championship culture. His father, who captained Indiana University’s undefeated 1976 national championship team, taught him that leadership is never just about the spotlight. “You don’t need a title to lead,” Buckner says. “Leadership is about service, impact, and the ability to inspire others to reach their full potential.”

That philosophy helped shape the MSAL curriculum from its earliest stages. In today’s evolving sports landscape, the program approaches leadership as a human-centered endeavor, one that requires ethical decision-making, strategic communication and a commitment to developing inclusive environments where athletes are valued not just for performance, but for their holistic development and well-being.

Buckner describes this approach through what he calls “championship habits,” the foundational principles that shape how leaders show up, make decisions and serve others. “It starts with personal accountability,” Buckner explains. “At its core, that means doing the work to define your own leadership philosophy, understanding who you are, what you stand for, and the principles that guide how you show up, empower and serve. Before you can inspire others, you must first inspire and empower yourself.”

Each course in the program serves as a foundational piece within a broader sports leadership playbook. Through the curriculum, students build a personalized playbook that prepares them to lead with ethical clarity, inclusive excellence, and a commitment to athlete-centered development across a range of sports settings, including coaching, collegiate athletics administration and community-based, amateur, professional and international sports organizations. Coursework emphasizes equitable policy design, data-informed decision-making and strategies for cultivating cultures that support athlete development and well-being.

A timely moment for sports leadership

For Alan Green, professor of clinical education at USC Rossier, MSAL faculty member and USC’s Faculty Athletics Representative, the arrival of March Madness highlights why programs like MSAL matter.

“March Madness vividly reveals the pressures student-athletes face,” Green says. “It forces us to rethink traditional ideas of toughness and recognize the deeper truth: athletic excellence and emotional wellness are inseparable.”

That insight reflects the broader purpose of the program. As sports continue to evolve—from new economic structures in collegiate athletics to growing attention to athlete well-being—leaders across the industry are being asked to rethink how sports organizations operate and whom they ultimately serve.

Preparing the next generation of sports leaders

USC Rossier’s MSAL program was created to meet that challenge.

Through a flexible online format, students engage in coursework that connects theory with practice and prepares them to address real-world leadership challenges across youth, collegiate and professional sports environments.

For Rousseau and Buckner, the program represents an opportunity to shape the future of sports leadership—one that moves beyond transactional models of success toward a more thoughtful, human-centered vision of athletics.

As March Madness begins and the spotlight returns to college basketball, the program’s message is clear: the future of sports will depend not only on great athletes but also on the leaders who support them.

Learn more about the Master of Education in Sports Administration and Leadership and how the program prepares leaders to shape the future of sports.

For individuals interested in learning more about the degree, visit the USC Rossier Master of Education in Sports Administration and Leadership. Register today for an informational webinar on Tuesday, March 31.