Career Highlights
- 2x NACDA Learfield Champions (2024, 2025)
- 4x MSC President's Cup Champion (2022, 2023, 2024, 2024)
- 2023-24 NACDA Athletic Director of the Year
- 2023-24 NAIA Athlete Director of the Year
- 4x MSC Athletic Director of the Year (2019, 2022, 2024, 2025)
Chris Kraftick is entering his tenth year as the Athletic Director at the University of the Cumberlands after being promoted in the summer of 2016. Under Kraftick's leadership, the Patriots have added two sports (eSports and Competitive Dance), led massive upgrades to the Patriots athletic facilities, and posted six straight top 10 finishes in NAIA Learfield Directors' Cup, including capturing the NACDA Learfield Cup in back-to-back season 2023-24 & 2024-25. For his efforts, Kraftick earned the 2023-24 NACDA Athletic Director of the Year and the 2023-24 NAIA Athletic Director of the Year honors. Additionally, Chris has been named the Mid-South Conference Athletic Director of the Year four times.. Prior to taking the AD job, Kraftick served as the University’s Head Coach for both the men’s and women’s golf programs for eight seasons. In 2020 Kraftick was inducted into the Cumberlands Athletics Hall of Fame.
Originally hailing from Wooster, OH, Kraftick attended Wooster High School where he was a four-year letterman in golf. He went on to graduate from Wilmington College in 1998 with a degree in Elementary Education and was named an All-Conference player his junior and senior year and received the Team Outstanding Player Award. In 2000, Kraftick became the Assistant Golf Professional at Crooked Creek Golf Club in London, Kentucky, before taking over as the Head Golf Pro in 2004. Also, in 2004, Kraftick reached the professional ranks as he became a member of the PGA of America.
He began his coaching career as an assistant at North Laurel High School in London, KY in 2004 before taking over the Head Coaching ranks at UC in 2006-2007. During his eight seasons as coach, Kraftick developed both the men’s and women's golf programs into extremely successful teams. The men’s team would obtain 42 tournament titles in 99 events with an overall record of 919-247-13 (.788 winning percentage). His Patriot men tallied six Mid-South Conference (MSC) Championships and six NAIA National Tournament appearances including four Top 10 finishes and a Top 5 finish. He was named MSC Men’s Coach of the Year six times and was the 2012 GCAA South Region Coach of the Year. He’s coached seven men who were NAIA All-Americans and three MSC Player of the Year Award winners.
Kraftick also established the UC women's program as a national power in the NAIA. The women have won or shared seven straight MSC Regular Season Championships and won five straight MSC Tournament Championships. The Patriot ladies won 37 tournament titles in 96 events with an overall record of 639-207-7 (.755-win percentage) while earning five NAIA National Tournament appearances with four Top 10 finishes and three Top 5 finishes. He was awarded the MSC Women’s Coach of the Year award three times while coaching the 2016 NAIA Individual National Champion, Kaitlin Riley. Kraftick has coached five women’s NAIA All-Americans along with two MSC Player of the Year award recipients.
Kraftick currently resides in London, Kentucky with his wife Jennifer. He has five children: Lynsey, Mason, Callie, Emory, Keegan, and two grandchildren Nash and JJ.
