University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Athletics Announces Department Restructuring
9/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Southern Miss Athletics Announces Department Restructuring announced that Senior Associate Director of Athletics David Hansen has been promoted to Deputy Director of Athletics and Associate Director of Athletics for Olympic Sports and Senior Woman Administrator Sonya Varnell has been promoted to Senior Associate Director of Athletics. Both have been on the athletic department?s staff since 1999. These moves are part of athletic department restructuring to ensure greater efficiency and more detailed attention to various areas with the structure of the department. ?We have one of the best administrative staffs of any athletic department in the nation,? said Giannini. ?We felt we had to make some administrative adjustments in lieu of our major fundraising efforts to build and enhance our athletic facilities. We wanted to get all of our student services under one area and also place a major emphasis on raising funds for our women?s programs.? Hansen serves as the department?s chief operating officer and chief financial officer. He provides direct oversight of the sports of baseball and men?s basketball and assists Giannini with the sport of football. Hansen oversees all major facility projects from inception to completion and has direct oversight and provides leadership in the areas of budget and finance, policies and procedures, facilities, event management, personnel and human resources, athletic equipment and property accounting, sports video, athletic camps and risk management. Varnell provides oversight of 13 of the department?s 16 intercollegiate sport programs, which includes complete management of sport, including business and finance, facility development and fund raising. She also will direct and monitor the department?s gender and minority equity plans, as well as coordinate fund raising efforts for the women?s sport programs. Her other areas of responsibility include coordinating the department?s performance evaluations and monitoring the hiring practice of the athletics department and provide diversity training workshops for the athletics staff. There will be greater attention paid to the individual student athlete as part of the restructuring plan. Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance and Student Services Don Oberhelman will oversee the student-athlete advisory committee and the community outreach program. In addition, he will oversee the University Housing program and will supervise the sports medicine department. Other areas of responsibility for Oberhelman include the direct supervision and oversight of C-USA and NCAA Compliance, the student academic enhancement and life skills programs, student-athlete financial aid, the NCAA certification process, NCAA special assistance fund, the strength and conditioning program and the department?s graduate assistants. Associate Director of Athletics Scott Carr will continue to oversee the external affairs of the athletics department. He will have direct supervision of the marketing and promotions department, corporate sales (ISP), ticket operations, media relations, broadcasting, the athletic department?s licensing program and the Eagle Club, working with Dick Vogel, Executive Director of the Eagle Club, in the continued development of the department?s annual giving efforts. He also will be the department?s liaison with the As Director of Athletics, Giannini is also the chief executive officer of the Southern Miss Athletic Foundation and is leading the campaign to raise $50 million to enhance M. M. Roberts Stadium, complete the softball facility, construct a new tennis facility, build suites and a new press box at Pete Taylor Park and construct an Olympic sports training center. Vogel and Reggie Collier, Coordinator of Athletic Development and Community Relations are assisting Giannini in the fundraising efforts.
