Where Have I Worked?

       

                         ATHLETICS RESUME               AGENCY RESUME

After 3 years out of college sports, I was hired by Ball State’s athletics director to implement social media strategy and to bolster PR and marketing. Similar to a digital marketing role, I also work closely with Ball State Sports Properties on ad creative and campaign execution. Also enrolled in MBA program.

Highlights

• Wrote and executed 2 social fundraising strategies that totaled $81,000.

• Grew athletics social media growth 11% for Instagram, 5% for Facebook, 4% on Twitter.

• Earned Ball State a mention in an ESPN.com article by MLB insider Jeff Passan.

• Served as baseball and gymnastics contact, growing impressions by 120%, shares by 146%  and engagement rate by 33%.

Odds & Ends
Implemented internal communications strategies and brought a heavy emphasis on data analytics..as baseball SID, earned placement in IBJ and we had a pitcher who went #34 overall in 2019.

I spent 3 seasons as men’s basketball contact. Communications, copy and social media as the department set ticket sales record in 2015 and revenue record in 2016. Our team won 3 NCAA tourney games in my 2 appearances there, highlighted by a win over Villanova en route to the Sweet 16 in 2015. I also covered women’s golf, which was ranked in the top 25 consistently and tied for 10th in 2014.

Highlights

• Ran recruiting website in addition to regular athletics web duties. Also published a 140-page media guide and multiple postseason guides.

• Made regular successful media pitches to USA Today, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo! and CBS Sports among other outlets.

• Operated and oversaw social media channels ranked in top 25 nationally in audience size. Increased program’s Twitter audience by 57% over 19 months.

• While strategies were different, consistently beat UNC and Duke in RDU local market.

Odds & Ends
Full-time intern and student oversight…Umpired 3 seasons of high school and travel baseball in NC…Daughter was born summer before my 2nd season…Handled basketball-centric, media-heavy workload without a secondary contact.

I worked at my alma mater with the legendary Jim McGrath for 4 years, including the pair of national runner-up years and a 27-win season in the A-10. Primary contact for women’s hoops and created a coach’s show on YouTube with 2 students. Created a multimedia strategy and internship program from scratch and in conjunction with faculty. Working alone with Presto, I ran an athletics website relaunch in 2012.

Highlights

• Working in a 2-man office, co-coordinated media exposure valued at $1.2 billion during NCAA Final Four appearances in 2010 and 2011.

• Produced and published 331 videos from 2011-13 for all sports – on a $0 budget.

• Singularly coordinated media efforts when Brad Stevens left Butler to coach the Boston Celtics. It was the biggest story in all of sports that week (summer? ever?).

• Served as primary contact and lead editor for athletics department website. Our website ranked second nationally in web traffic in Presto network.

Odds & Ends
Traveled to Los Angeles for inaugural Big East/Fox Sports meetings in 2013…Helped place 4 student interns into full-time sports media jobs…Umpired an average of 60 baseball games during spring and summer…Freelance stats for Indianapolis Indians and volunteer at 2009 NCAA Regional, 2011 College World Series.

My first full-time job, I returned to Indy after 2 intern years to work at the league office. I gradually became more involved with the Horizon League Network and was given responsibility in February when previous contact left. Working at the league sent me to Chicago thrice, the 2009 NCAA Regional where I couldn’t keep Magic Johnson off the floor, the Final Four in Detroit, Vegas, Atlanta but, most importantly, Youngstown.

Highlights

• Managed league’s $400,000 league network budget. Responsible for equipment purchases for each school and year-end revenue distributions.

• Provided market research and online support for men’s basketball championship. Created online promotional materials and spearheaded first-ever online ticket sale for men’s basketball championship.

• Added first-ever audio component to league’s website. Recorded, edited and distributed audio to league institutions for their use.

• Tracked video streaming numbers using Google Analytics and promoted highlight packages on Facebook — in 2008.

Odds & Ends
Traveled to the inaugural SVG conference in Atlanta and NAB in Las Vegas…Covered both soccers in the fall and women’s basketball until Christmas before being moved full-time to league network…Worked at Horizon League as a student in 2006, helping with Final Four (George Mason!) and served as golf contact.

One of my great work experiences, I’ve followed the Spartans since Jamie and Matt interviewed me on the phone in 2007. This was a great internship because it taught me the ‘why?’ after you learn ‘how?’ my first year. I traveled with baseball and to select basketball games and had meaningful football duties in addition to my other primary sports.

Highlights

• Drove department’s podcasting initiative. We led nation in downloads, according to CBS Digital.
• Men’s soccer team made NCAA Tournament and I was media coordinator for the 2007 Big Ten Men’s Soccer Championship.
• Worked on men’s basketball notes and media guide and ran gameday set up. I was rewarded with sweet gear and occasional meals from the training table. 
• Learned how to call basketball stats in code – which doesn’t have much use after you leave the business!

Odds & Ends
Only baseball contact in Big Ten who was an intern…Assisted with men’s basketball postseason after coming directly off baseball road trips…Wrote features for football program and learned football stat crew in press box…Covered 2007 Big Ten Football Kickoff in Chicago, my first day on the job since I lived only an hour away.

My first gig was at Cleveland State, where I was the primary contact for 9 sports and did a fair amount of lifting for a few others. It was a great experience that gave me the thick skin you need to survive – or maybe vice versa. The AD at CSU then was Lee Reed, and he was one of my favorite people to work for of all time.

Highlights

• Media coordinator for 2007 Eastern Wrestling League Championships – wrestling in NE Ohio/Pennsylvania is legit. We had a beat writer in the Plain Dealer.
• Worked with very successful swim/dive program in a world-class pool (also had to run hy-tek) – and traveled full-time with possibly worst baseball team in the country that year (14-40, led nation in errors). Great guys to be around though!
• Gamedays for men’s and women’s hoops and volleyball, learning under great former SIDs Alan Ashby and Brian McCann.

Odds & Ends
Worked 9(!) primary sports and men’s basketball duties (recaps, media luncheons, gamedays)…Traveled with baseball and select wrestling, soccer and women’s basketball…Play-by-play for league softball championship…Home baseball games played in Lorain, 34 miles from campus.