Meet the Razorback Administration: Jon Fagg

Jon Fagg joined the University of Arkansas Athletic Department June 1 as the senior associate athletic director for compliance and student-athlete services. He also serves as the sport administrator for the Razorback soccer team.
What are your first impressions of Fayetteville? It’s a beautiful city. My family and I have been really impressed. We lived in the mountains of North Carolina for awhile and the terrain is a lot like Fayetteville’s. We like the small town feel and how familiar people are with each other.
What are you most looking forward to in your new position with UA? I’ve never overseen academics before so that will be a great challenge. I like being involved with all aspects of student life not just the rules that come with compliance.
Which co-worker would you most like to share an office with? Melissa Harwood-Rom (associate athletic director for academic support) and Steve Oliver (soccer assistant coach). I want one big office for the three of us to share. We might not get any work done but we’d have a great time.
What’s your favorite place in Fayetteville so far? We haven’t had a lot of time to explore but my family and I spent some time at Lake Fayetteville and it’s beautiful. We are really looking forward to visiting some of the state parks.
What do you think of the Razorback Nation and the tradition at Arkansas? I’m amazed at the loyalty from the fans, the students and the community. We haven’t had a game yet but I can tell how passionate the fans are. Everyone is loyal to the Razorbacks. My kids want to see a real Razorback so I have to show them Tusk someday.
Has anything about Fayetteville or UA surprised you since your arrival? No surprises but I’ve been really impressed with the facilities. They look beautiful in pictures and even more impressive in person. The set-up we have with all the facilities on Razorback Road is really unique. I’m also really impressed with the coaches, staff and community. Everyone has been really accepting of my family and me. We have received such a warm welcome.
Is there any sport you are looking forward to attending most? I’m a huge soccer fan and I oversee that sport so I’m really excited to see them get started. We have a beautiful stadium and a great group of student-athletes, coaches and support staff. I can’t wait for the football environment. I’m a football coach’s son and I used to coach myself so it’s an atmosphere I’m familiar with and really gets me excited. I heard so much about Razorback Stadium when I was growing up and I can’t wait to experience it for myself.
How did you get your start in college athletics? My father was a football coach and I got my start in coaching. We both coached all over the country. When I was coaching at the Division II level, some administrative duties fell into my lap and I really enjoyed that side of college athletics. My first administrative position was at the Big South Conference.
Besides the Razorbacks, is there any school or team you support? I have really fond memories of Georgia Tech when my Dad was coaching there. I was in elementary school at the time. I got to ride the Ramblin’ Wreck car when I was a kid and I thought that was the greatest thing in the world. I also spent some of my childhood growing up in Hawai’i. Hawai’i Athletics has a great dynamic. It’s a really unique environment to experience college athletics in.
What TV show do you never miss? Deadliest Catch on the Discovery Channel. It’s about crab finishing in the Bering Strait. It’s the most deadly job in the world. They work for three weeks straight, 24 hours at a time. One person dies every year doing this job.
You can often be seen running through campus, how many miles a week do you log? I usually run 35-40 miles a week. I started running about 10 years ago to get in shape and I fell love with it. I love running through campus. It makes me feel like a part of campus life. I’ve always run on campus at the schools where I’ve worked. You meet people who run around the same times and it’s a great way to meet people on campus.