Long announces athletic department administrative team

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas vice chancellor and director of athletics Jeff Long has released the administrative structure for the department of intercollegiate athletics. Long was hired in October of 2007 and officially assumed leadership of the Razorback athletic program on Jan. 1, 2008.

In his tenure, Long has blended the previous independent women’s and men’s athletic departments into a unified program encompassing 19 sports, more than 450 student-athletes and more than 200 athletic department staff members.

"I am very pleased with the administrative team we have put together in our effort to provide student-athletes with the best opportunity to achieve academically, athletically and socially at the University of Arkansas," Long said. "In building our new combined administrative team, I was able to rely primarily on the outstanding athletic department administrators that were already an important part of the Razorback program both in the former men’s and women’s athletic departments. In addition, we were able to enhance our team with several experienced administrators from other major universities. I believe we have assembled a team that will allow the Razorback program to continue to succeed athletically, as well as make a positive and meaningful impact on the lives of our student-athletes."

Members of the executive staff include associate vice chancellor and executive associate athletic director Bev Lewis, senior associate athletic directors Chris Wyrick, Jon Fagg and Matt Trantham, and associate athletic directors Tom Dorre and Kevin Trainor.

Lewis, the former women’s athletic director, now serves as associate vice chancellor and executive associate athletic director for administration and sport programs. Lewis is also the coordinator of a five-member sport administrator group that provides day-to-day administrative support for each of Arkansas’ 19 sports. Lewis is the sport administrator for women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s track and field, men’s and women’s golf, gymnastics, softball and volleyball. In addition, Lewis is the primary administrator working with the Razorbacks’ strength and conditioning units and athletic training and sports medicine program. She also serves as a liaison to the faculty senate and the faculty athletic committee, and coordinates the department’s NCAA certification, Title IX compliance and strategic planning.

Wyrick joined Arkansas after previous stints in the Southeastern Conference at South Carolina and Vanderbilt. The senior associate athletic director for external operations has supervision of development, media relations, ticketing operations, licensing, marketing and promotions. He is a liaison to the Razorback Foundation, and Arkansas’ multi-media rights holder, Razorback Sports Properties. Wyrick is also the sport administrator for men’s basketball.

Fagg, the senior associate athletic director for compliance and student-athlete services, came to Arkansas from North Carolina State. He has administrative supervision of compliance, academic support and student life. Fagg also serves as the liaison to the University’s office of the general counsel. He is also a member of the sport administrator group with administrative responsibility for soccer.

Trantham serves as the Razorbacks’ senior associate athletic director for internal operations. His administrative responsibilities include supervision of athletic facilities and grounds, the facilities master plan, new construction, game operations and event management, suite programs and information systems. Trantham also serves as the football team administrator. A distant relative of former Razorback football player Tommy Trantham, he worked at the University of Oklahoma prior to returning to Arkansas. Trantham spent his childhood in Hot Springs, Ark.

Dorre is in his 42nd year at the University of Arkansas and has been with the athletic department since August 2002. An associate athletic director for business and finance, he serves as the athletic department’s chief financial officer (CFO). Dorre has supervision over budgets, contracts, travel, ticket accounting and revenue and human resources.

Trainor, a University of Arkansas graduate, is in his 14th year with the Razorback athletic department. As the associate athletic director for media relations and communications he oversees the media and public relations efforts for Arkansas’ 19 intercollegiate sports locally, regionally and nationally. Trainor is responsible for developing and implementing public relations strategies for the athletic department. He also has administrative supervision of the new media division, including the program’s official web site, ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

The senior staff includes the six members of the executive staff as well as associate athletic directors Melissa Harwood-Rom, Tracey Stehlik, Chris Pohl and Matt Shanklin, assistant athletic directors Marvin Caston, Justin Maland, Sean Rochelle and Bill Smith.

Harwood-Rom was named associate athletic director for academic support after serving in a similar role for the women’s athletics program prior to the merger. She is responsible for coordinating the academic advancement program for the more than 450 Razorback student-athletes.

Stehlik serves as the associate athletic director for compliance. A former coach and long-time athletic administrator at Arkansas, Stehlik is also the sport administrator for swimming and diving and men’s and women’s tennis.

After serving as the associate athletic director for marketing and promotions in the women’s athletic department, Pohl has assumed the newly created position of associate athletic director for events. Her division is responsible for coordinating games and events for the 19 Razorback sport programs.

Shanklin will continue to serve as the associate athletic director for marketing, promotions and licensing after holding a similar position previously in the men’s athletic department. He is also a part of the sports administrator group as the administrative liaison to baseball.

Caston has transitioned from his previous role in compliance to assume the role of assistant athletic director for student-life. The former Razorback football player will coordinate a program designed to develop life skills to allow student-athletes to balance their academic, athletic and personal development responsibilities in order to maximize their potential.

A native of Harrison, Maland serves as the assistant athletic director for facilities for the Razorbacks. He has supervision of the department’s maintenance, technology services and turf management divisions.

Rochelle continues to serve the Razorbacks as assistant athletic director for development. Prior to the merger, he had raised financial support exclusively for women’s athletics. Rochelle has also worked as a graduate assistant coach and academic counselor in his tenure at Arkansas.

In his 20th year at the University of Arkansas, Smith has assumed responsibility for the department’s new media division. Smith has the primary administrative oversight of all athletic department web sites, including the recently launched ArkansasRazorbacks.com.