Staff Q&A: Athletics Director Kyle Conder

Conder speaks about joining CSUB, what's coming up for athletics program

By California State University, Bakersfield

October 18^th, 2023

Why did you choose CSUB and to move to Bakersfield?

I have known about CSUB and its success as a university and athletics program for a long time. When the athletics director job opening came available, I was probably the first person to apply! My dad grew up in the Central Valley and my family visited Bakersfield often when I was growing up. The more I learned about all the great things happening at CSUB and Bakersfield, the more I wanted to join the community.

What do you love most about the Kern County/Bakersfield community so far?

There’s so much to love! I love that Bakersfield and Kern County are very tight knit. People care about each other, and they take care of each other. Susan (my wife) and I have two children — Ellis (our 10-year-old son) and Ada (our 8-year-old daughter), and we love how family-oriented life is in Bakersfield and Kern County. In addition to attending CSUB and CSUB Athletics events and celebrations, we enjoy so many activities in our community like the various farmers markets and festivals.

Where did your love and passion for sports and university athletic programs come from?

I consider intercollegiate athletics a family business. My parents are both educators; my dad was a high school teacher and a coach and my mom was a faculty and staff member at the local university where I grew up. The integration of athletics and education has always been natural for me. We talked about box scores and SAT words around our dinner table. Susan also has a distinguished career in NCAA Division I athletics, with leadership roles at multiple universities. It’s exciting to see our kids interact with student-athletes, coaches and faculty at CSUB.

Tell us more about your vision for the CSUB Athletics Department moving forward and what the heart of the athletics program is all about.

We have a great future ahead of us at CSUB Athletics. Our mission is to provide a transformational educational environment through four pillars: academic excellence, outstanding student-athlete experience, competitive success, and community engagement. Our vision is to pursue championships and graduate leaders. CSUB Athletics is rising, and we are excited to help enhance CSUB’s profile.

What are you most proud of in your time at the university thus far?

Our student-athletes make me proud every day. It’s a testament to our CSUB Athletics pillar of academic excellence that CSUB student-athletes have achieved a department-wide 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher for 17-consecutive semesters. I am also proud of the way CSUB Athletics has helped bring our university and community together, especially through events like the Rowdy Run, Hot Stove Dinner, Homecoming and Spring BBQ. CSUB Athletics is the front porch to CSUB, and we are the glue that brings everyone together.

What are a few things in the Athletics Department that the community can get excited about and help support in the upcoming academic year?

We are excited about our future in The Big West. Our teams have learned the landscape and know what it takes to compete in conference. We also have several new head coaches in sports like women’s soccer, women’s golf and softball, and they are already making an impact on our program. This is going to be a big year for CSUB Athletics, and we need our entire community to rally for our `Runners.

How do you hope to continue to paint the town blue and gold with CSUB spirit on campus and beyond?

We are the Division I athletics program for Bakersfield and Kern County. CSUB Athletics is the only NCAA Division I program within a 100-mile radius. The more that our community embraces CSUB Athletics, the more we can celebrate all the good things happening at CSUB and throughout Bakersfield and Kern County. We have been very intentional about making CSUB Athletics apparel — shirts, hoodies and hats — available for sale at CSUB Athletics games. We want our entire community to be proud to represent the `Runners in Blue and Gold.

What do you want people to know more about the CSUB Athletics?

We need you! CSUB and CSUB Athletics have a unique opportunity to achieve success, especially in The Big West. Unlike many of our peers in The Big West, we are located in a close-knit community with an intimate campus. In order to achieve success, we need more campus and community engagement. Two of the best ways to support CSUB Athletics are to be a season-ticket holder and join the Roadrunner Club. Season-ticket information is available at gorunners.com/tickets or at (661) 654-BLUE (2583) or (661) 654-GOLD (4653). To join the Roadrunner Club, visit gorunners.com/give or call (661) 654-2136.

How can the community stay in the know or get involved with CSUB Athletics, so as not to miss out on any opportunities?

Everything anyone could want to know about CSUB Athletics is available at gorunners.com. We also encourage our community to follow us on all our various social media under the username CSUB Athletics. We deliver awesome content like photos and videos, as well as announce upcoming events, games and promotions.

Is there anything else people should know about the athletics program or that you hope people are excited about?

CSUB Athletics is here to serve CSUB, Bakersfield and Kern County. We are your hometown team! We look forward to seeing you at our next game. Go `Runners!