North Carolina A&T

Cory Lima has worked for his alma mater, North Carolina A&T State University, since 2012. He assumed the role of associate athletics director for compliance in 2017. As a member of the athletics department’s senior administrative staff, Lima is responsible for overseeing all areas of compliance operations for athletics.  

Prior to his promotion, he served as assistant athletics director for compliance from 2012-17.  Lima has provided oversight of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), and Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) compliance for all 17 varsity sports. Those monitoring efforts include recruiting activities for all coaches and staff, certification of eligibility for all student-athletes, and rules education for student-athletes, coaches, staff, faculty, and representatives of A&T’s athletics interests.  Mr. Lima is a National Association for Athletics Compliance (NAAC) member.

In addition to compliance responsibilities, Lima is also the sports administrator for the Aggie baseball program after a brief stint as assistant baseball coach in 2015. Lima had previously served the program as the fall pitching coach for two years starting in Fall 1997 while pitching for various minor league teams in the Florida Marlins organization after the Marlins drafted him in the 25th round of the 1997 MLB Draft. 

Lima played professional baseball until 2001 before retiring to begin his athletic administrative career. He served as the director of NCAA compliance and events management at the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) from 2001-2003.  During his tenure at the SIAC, he was named the conference’s interim commissioner until his departure in June of 2003, when he became assistant commissioner for NCAA compliance and championships at the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).  Lima served the SWAC for five years before leaving in 2008 to take a position at the NCAA. From 2008-2012, Lima worked for the national office as a coordinator of academic and membership affairs.

Lima graduated from A&T in 1997 with a B.S. in recreation administration. He received his M.S. in business administration from Clark Atlanta University in 2001. The Lima family has a rich history at A&T. Lima’s grandfather played football at A&T in the 1930s and his father played shortstop at A&T in the early 70s.  Lima and his wife, Dr. Elisa Lima, have three children, Coryn, Mahri, and Selah.