Bates College has hired Stacey Bunting as athletic director, the school announced Wednesday.

Bunting will begin the role July 1. She replaces Jason Fein, who stepped down from the position in December.

“Bates is a place where excellence in academics, athletics, and recreation is not just valued, it is woven into the very fabric of campus life,” Bunting said in a news release. “The work we do is a privilege, and I am energized by the passion and spirit that define this campus.”

Bunting comes to Lewiston from Princeton University, where she is the senior associate director of athletics for external relations. She also has experience at the University of Delaware and the University of Miami, her alma mater.

“Stacey is a smart, dynamic and thoughtful leader,” John Mack, the director of athletics at Princeton, said in the news release. “… Simply put, Bates has hired a winner.”

Bunting was chosen to lead the Bobcats athletic department after a national search overseen by a committee of Bates faculty, staff and students.

Fein had served as Bates College’s athletic director since 2017.

“It has been an incredible privilege to serve as the director of athletics at Bates College,” Fein said in a December news release. “Working alongside and advocating for our exceptional student-athletes, coaches, and staff has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. It’s been a challenging year personally, and while this decision was certainly not an easy one, it is the right time for me to focus on my family. I am immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished and I look forward to supporting the program’s continued success.”