TiffanySmith Massey

Tiffany Smith Massey, a 2001 Kentucky graduate who has helped guide several UK athletics programs to unprecedented academic success, was named an Associate Athletic Director/Community and Belonging in November 2020 by UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart.

She was a 12-year counselor in UK Athletics’ Center for Academic and Tutorial Services before taking on the new position, which included becoming the primary sport administrator for women’s basketball and co-chair of UK Athletics’ Diversity Advocacy Committee.

Hayden was a member of the CATS staff since 2009, working at various times with the women’s basketball, women’s tennis and rifle teams. She was the counselor for nine years with women’s basketball, which received the NCAA Academic Progress Rate Award for placing in the top 10 percent of the nation’s Division I women’s basketball programs in 2019 and 2020. During her time with women’s basketball, the team had a 100 percent graduation rate for players who completed their eligibility. The team has carried a team grade-point average of 3.0 or better for 14 straight semesters.

As a counselor, Hayden served as the liaison between student-athletes, coaches and on-campus faculty and staff. She worked closely with student-athletes to ensure they had all of the tools needed to be successful upon graduation from UK. Her other responsibilities included assisting with the CATS recruiting efforts.  She was an active member of the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics. She created the Human Athlete Mentoring Project in the Spring 2020 semester.

Before joining the CATS staff, Hayden served as an academic advisor at Bluegrass Community and Technical College in Lexington from 2004-09, where she advised beginning freshmen, transfer students, readmitted students and continuing students.

Hayden graduated from UK in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in health science. She earned her master’s in business administration from Sullivan University in 2003. She also received a master’s in higher education from the University of Louisville in 2009.