"Joe CastiglioneUniversity of OklahomaVice President and Director of Athletics"I want to congratulate Southern Miss on the hire of Jon Gilbert, one of the true rising stars in collegiate athletics administration. he developed numerous sporting events, including the Blockbuster Bowl, the most successful The former Southern Miss Golden Eagle athletics director and coach, Roland Dale passed away Sunday night in Jackson, MS. McClain has served as USM's athletics director since April 2019, helping to oversee the athletic programs' transition to the Sun Belt Conference from Conference USA, which is due to be completed on July 1. Our focus is to continue to enhance the profile and success of The University of Southern Mississippi and All three Sun Belt teams Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette and Coastal Carolina collected huge checks for playing on the road. Conference USA has become a jet league. Mitchell is a 2001 graduate of Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, where he was a four-year member of the varsity baseball team and a four-year member of the athletic departments sports information staff. The Sun Belt is an ESPN league with national exposure. Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. "Southern Miss is getting an athletics director who is both a quality person and an outstanding leader," Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey said. He's just a model professional and we are going to miss him in Knoxville." For questions, please contact Dr. Leslie Oglesby, LAT, ATC at 601-266-5495 or at Leslie.Oglesby@usm.edu. University of Southern Mississippi Director of Athletics Richard Giannini announced his retirement on today, effective in early January and will remain with the program through the coaching search process. He keeps it on his . and Scheduling Committees. (228) 832-2525 | newsrelease@wxxv25.com14531 Hwy 49 North Gulfport, MS 39503. Experienced Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing And Promotions with a demonstrated history of working in college athletics. He knows Southern Miss having served as deputy athletic director for three years before becoming the athletic director at Troy in . Shortly after, athletic director Jerry Spell from a small Catholic school in Bay St. Louis . Some stability is badly needed. is doable. assistant athletics director at Duke in 1974. This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Southern Miss extends athletics director Jeremy McClain, Why Southern Miss baseball will and won't make a deep NCAA Tournament run in 2023. * Where We Are Going 8/18/2022 9:00:00 AM. He knows what life is like in both leagues. Heres what Dr. Bennett had to say about the big time hire earlier today: Jeremy McClain is uniquely qualified to lead our department of athletics to the successes we all envision. Mitchell serves as an adjunct professor for undergraduate and graduate classes in the Southern Miss School of Business and Economic Development teaching classes on leadership and governance and policy in sport. offices, dressing and meeting rooms. 1966 to 1970, was sports information director at Duke from 1970 to 1973, before becoming 1) The best days of Southern Miss Athletics are ahead of us Number of employees at University of Southern Mississippi in year 2021 was 5,057. evvnt_require("evvnt/discovery_plugin").init({ Mitchell also earned an MBA from the Millsaps College Else School of Management in May of 2003 and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi School of Law in December of 2005. continues to serve Southern Miss athletics in an advisory capacity. Southern Miss athletic director Jeremy McClain decided to shoot his shot as it were yesterday in regards to the Golden Eagles playing Ole Miss. 2) There is no substitute for leadership alignment Despite beating Memphis, Tulane and Houston consistently on the field, the Golden Eagles got passed by during conference re-alignment because of the relatively small amount of TV viewers in south Mississippi. Gilbert, who will begin his work no later than March 1, comes to Southern Miss from the University of Tennessee, where he has served as Executive Senior Associate . Mitchell spent five years at USM after being hired in . Contacts for state licensure or other state regulations can be found on the Board of Certification website. Welcome to the Sun Belt," said Sun Belt commissioner Keith Gill to Southern Miss athletic director Jeremy McClain and president Dr. Rodney Bennett. Cox also visits with He. a proud member of the 118 College DriveHattiesburg, MS 39406-0001, 730 East Beach BoulevardLong Beach, MS 39560. Mitchell negotiated the partnership's new long-term, multi-million dollar agreement, which began in July of 2020. Look for the "Republish This Story" button underneath each story. in February of 2005. The #ToTheTop25 Strategic Plan can be viewed by clicking here. The athletic director position opened in December, when Richard Giannini announced }); Bella Grace Bridals & Formals Dream Dress Giveaway, Huntington Learning Center Teacher of the Month, Financial Tips with Navigator Credit Union, How to unsubscribe from website notifications, Biloxi alum Colt Keith blasts MLB Spring Training Home Run, Picayune Maroon Tide boys basketball defeated in 5A State Title Game, Sun Belt Womens Basketball Tournament: Southern Miss vs. Arkansas, Due South Tattoo and Art Expo happening this weekend in Biloxi. Categories: Announcements athletics Community Faculty and Staff Gulf Coast, 118 College DriveHattiesburg, MS 39406-0001, 730 East Beach BoulevardLong Beach, MS 39560. As we continue building upon the historic success of our programs, Jon Gilbert is the right person for the right time." The following is a list of NCAA Division I universities in the United States (listed alphabetically by their schools' athletic brand name) and their current athletic director.This list only includes schools playing Division I football or men's basketball. Mitchell is a respected veteran administrator who . McClain previously served as the athletics director at Troy for just under four years. He invests in the people around him and it shows with how highly people think of him in our building. McClain's new four-year deal will keep him under contract until April 30, 2026. following organizations: Whoops! * Where We Are He was sports editor of Hattiesburg American, executive director of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. We do not sell or share your information with anyone. Jackson State University (Jackson State or JSU) is a public historically black research university in Jackson, Mississippi.It is one of the largest HBCUs in the United States and the fourth largest university in Mississippi in terms of student enrollment. "It was the only week of vacation I get during the year. 0:05. . On this week's episode of Inside Southern Miss Athletics, Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain stops by to talk about men's and women's basketball, the upcoming Sun Belt Conference basketball championships in Pensacola, Florida, and the start of the baseball and softball seasons. Average annual salary was $24,835 and median salary was $8,656. With a 24-65 record at the time, Southern Miss Athletic Director Jeremy McLain went to bat for Ladner. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Assistant Director of Athletics / Game Operations & Championships at Duke . get back to winning C-USA Championships. Here's the score. He was 84 years old. Dave Hart University of Tennessee Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics "This is a red-letter day for Southern Miss Athletics and The University of Southern Mississippi with the hiring of Jon Gilbert as Director of Athletics. Butch Jones University of Tennessee Football Head Coach "Jon Gilbert is an absolutely great hire for Southern Miss and their athletics department. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. All rights reserved. Miss and we will continue those friendships for years to come.. Paul will work closely with Southern Miss Athletic Director Bill McGillis, Senior Associate Athletic Director Brian Morrison and the Athletic Foundation's development team in growing Eagle Club memberships and raising funds to support the athletics program. Basketball? Well, to a lesser extent, thats kind of how it felt when Jeremy McClain returned to Southern Miss in 2016 as the new athletic director at Troy then overseeing a football program that beat the Golden Eagles on that September night. Gilbert is a graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, N.C., where he was a three-year letterman on the football team. Wed love to hear from you. national telecast of the College Baseball World Series for HBO, and produced numerous - Assisted with implementing more awareness for Southern Miss . MCEC founder Nancy New, a Southern Miss alum and former athletic foundation board member, has since pleaded guilty to fraud. Jeremy McClain, the Southern Miss athletic director, believes the annual travel expenses for all athletic programs will be reduced between $500,000 and a million dollars. Email. While at Ole Miss, Mitchell served as a graduate assistant in the external relations unit and worked with the Ole Miss football and mens basketball programs. "I'm looking forward to getting to know our staff, our student-athletes and coaches, and the great supporters of the Golden Eagles," Gilbert added. To The Top! The strategic plan includes a bold vision for the future of Golden Eagle athletics comprised of 25 strategic initiatives to be completed before the end of the 2025 calendar year. Says McClain, Sun Belt basketball is under-rated. Just last season, on one September Saturday, three Sun Belt teams played three Big 12 teams (two of those ranked) on the road. (WHLT) - The Sports Zone 12 team will be live on Friday, March 3 for the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. McClain should see a bump in pay back at Southern Miss where Gilbert just recently had a $350,000 base salary compared to McClain's $210,000 at Troy. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Southern Miss Athletics Southern Miss Athletics Athletic Center - (601) 266-5017 [Name of Person or Department] [Name of Person or Department] Media Relations - (601) 266-4503: 118 College Drive #5017 2609 West 4th Street: Ticket Office - (601) 266-5418 or 1-800-844-TICK: Hattiesburg, Miss. Mobile App | Weather App | WXXV25 Email Sign Up. * Maximizing our Footprint Upon successful completion of the academic degree in athletic training, the student is eligible to sit for the Board of Certification . We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Their daughter, Harper Wynne, is 14 and enjoys playing soccer in the Girls Academy League, dance, and school. Prior to taking the job at Troy, McClain served as USM's deputy director of athletics for three years and was the AD at Delta State for the five years previous to that. Poole comes to Southern Miss after spending the last 11 years as the head coach at Memphis. In return, the Sun Belt provides a much more comfortable and sensible home for Southern Miss. He was the athletic director . HATTIESBURG, Miss. at games, monetary gifts, and encouragement through social media and in the community. 5) That if we execute what we can control, at a high level, then success will take care of itself Jeremy McClain is a Southern Miss guy who shares the values and ambitions of the University of Southern Mississippi., Your email address will not be published. General The strategic plan uses five factors as guiding elements for future growth: McClain's new four-year deal will keep him under contract until April 30, 2026. Assisting the committee in their work is search consultant Bob Beaudine of Eastman The strategic plan includes a bold vision for the future of Golden Eagle athletics comprised of 25 strategic initiatives to be completed before . "I have known Jon throughout his time at Alabama and Tennessee, and he brings the right kind of vision and leadership that will serve Southern Miss well. "Southern Miss has lost a legend as Roland Dale was an exceptional man, coach, and athletic director," said Southern Miss Interim Athletics Director Jeff Hammond. Ill put it to you this way, Waters said, Southern Miss can use all that money theyve been spending on jet fuel and spend it on things that make you better. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. Georgia Southern athletic director Jared Benko Jared Benko served as Mississippi State's deputy AD and chief financial officer until March 2020, when he left to become the athletic director at . team winning more games than any other team in history, and topping that with a conference To be sure, TV revenue wont be that much higher in the Sun Belt than it was in CUSA, but TV exposure will be much more broad. Jan. 24, 2017. in both the 1999 and 2000 campaigns. went to the event in 2009, and the softball program which were among the final eight, Jeremy knows us. His ability to connect with donors, administrators, employees and coaches will be of great benefit to Southern Miss. Other national honors for Mitchell include his participation in the LEAD 1 Institute (2019) which identifies and educates top NCAA FBS administrators and participation in the inaugural TopConnect Leadership Institute (2021) which pairs leading Division I administrators and assistant basketball coaches in a 12-week leadership forum culminating in a leadership certificate presented by East Tennessee State University. - Southern Miss Athletics would like to express our deepest sympathies to the family of Roland Dale and the Southern Miss community on the passing of his death. * Elite Student-Athlete Experience Title. From December 2014 to August 2018, Mitchell managed the daily operations of the Santa Clara athletics department with a directed focus on external operations and revenue generation and included service as the Broncos interim Director of Athletics from April 2015 to August 2015. Jeremy McClain, the Southern Miss athletic director, believes the annual travel expenses for all athletic programs will be reduced between $500,000 and a million dollars. HATTIESBURG, Miss. During his time at Santa Clara, the Broncos secured 22 team NCAA tournament bids, 11 individual NCAA postseason invitations across eight different sports, and 7 WCC championships. That might sound like chump change to Southeastern Conference fans, but it is a huge deal to athletic programs that don't collect millions upon millions of dollars from . His knowledge and insight into the world of collegiate athletics has allowed him to virtual: false, Southern Miss has made the correct and probably long overdue decision to exit Conference USA and enter the Sun Belt Conference. McClain is a Mississippi native, and he returns to Hattiesburg after serving as the AD at Troy since 2015. H.C. "Bill" McLellan, who served as director of athletics at The University of Southern Mississippi from 1986-1999, died Monday after a brief illness. - Southern Miss Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain announced Monday the hiring of Natalie Poole as softball coach. After a couple of years in private business, he returned to coaching at Tulane. & Beaudine Inc. Southern Miss, Waters says, brings a rich history of winning and a historically strong fan base to the Sun Belt. Field at Roberts Stadium, a new press box and suites as well as an expansion at Pete Danny Hugh Freeze Jr. (born September 27, 1969) is an American football coach who is the head coach at Auburn University. Dr. Dennis Phillips, Faculty Athletic Representative. position at Louisiana-Monroe. "Extending his contract ensures the continuation of our current momentum to support the holistic growth and development of our student-athletes, which enhances their ability to compete at the highest levels both on and off the field.". Thank you to NCS Southern Miss. She served as the second head coach in that program's history. 266-4906. "During Favre's fundraising efforts, in July 2017, the Southern Miss athletic director introduced Favre to New, a Southern Miss Athletic Foundation board member, as someone who could assist Favre with the fundraising. Ryleigh, Kyle, Avery, Mackenzie and Landon. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Build those rivalries and fans will travel.. Southern Miss athletics director Jeremy McClain, who was Troy's A.D. from 2015 until taking over at USM in April of 2019, is excited to have a chance to be part of the Sun Belt again. Southern Miss Athletic Foundation / Eagle Club. This is one time, seems to me, they got it right. Lee Applewhite, Director of Development. For Southern Miss, one potential stumbling block in switching leagues has been the exit fee, long reported to be $5 million. Fentanyl Awareness Presentation set for March 8 on Hattiesburg Campus, USM Students Named in Prestigious Graphic Design Magazine's Students to Watch List, Women's History Month Events at USM Begin March 2. Mitchell and his wife, April, are college sweethearts and have been married for 17 years. I have worked hard over the last 13 years to try to make this a better program, and of Raycom Management Group in Charlotte, N.C., a subsidiary of Raycom Sports, where We are your neighbors. Jon does a great job of getting everybody on the same page and making sure everybody is moving in the right direction. News Star World, Jackson Daily News and Clarion Ledger. Those rivalries are something to nurture and built upon. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. * Competitive Excellence first-year bowl in NCAA history. Scott Watkins is the high school sports and Southern Miss athletics reporter for the Sun Herald. In addition, Giannini spearheaded a total makeover of the school's athletic facilities, (WHLT) - The Sports Zone 12 team will be live on Friday, March 3 for the Sun Belt Basketball Conference Championship Tournament. With a 24-65 record at the time, Southern Miss Athletic Director Jeremy McLain went to bat for Ladner. I have been inducted into the Southern Mississippi Athletic and Student Halls of Fame. The larger facility was a key factor in helping to upgrade the schedule by getting more formidable opponents to come to Hattiesburg. At Tennessee, Gilbert has been responsible for all facets of day-to-day Department of Athletics operations. During the 2010-2011 academic year, Mitchell guided the University through a successful NCAA re-certification process. conference football highlight films. Most importantly, I'm glad to call him a friend. We are the most trusted source for local news. 2023 The University of Southern Mississippi. championship, it is a perfect time for me to retire. "Jon is relentless in his approach, positive in his dealings with people, but also direct in making sure the job gets done. That year, GHS posted an 8-3 record and Dale was voted the Big Eight Coach of the Year. Mitchell helped finalize the Universitys first comprehensive apparel deal with Nike valued at more than $2.5 million and helped administer plans for $58 million in facility projects to include a new soccer facility, softball stadium, aquatics center, and upgrades to basketball locker rooms and a basketball court re-design. The Broncos also claimed two postseason tournament titles in mens basketball in 2011 (CIT) and 2013 (CBI). Editorial cartoons and photo essays are not included under the Creative Commons license and therefore do not have the "Republish This Story" button option. Champions program, a group who have each committed $100,000, and has grown since its In conjunction with the school's first year in the Sun Belt Conference, Southern Miss Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain announced today the completion of a comprehensive strategic plan that will run through the end of 2025.