McNeese announces Athletics Department reorganization, names Schroyer interim AD

Effective June 18, McNeese men’s head basketball coach, Heath Schroyer, will also be the interim director of the McNeese athletics department in a reorganization designed to strengthen the administrative support for all 16 McNeese athletic teams.

“We are moving to an organizational model that will leverage the abilities of the current senior leadership,” McNeese President Dr. Daryl Burckel said in announcing the restructuring.

Burckel said a change is needed to address the current needs of the department and the uncertainty of the upcoming academic year and to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the department staff.

“Our spring sports did not have a full season. We must address the loss in revenue and provide all of our head coaches with the resources and assistance they need to be successful this year. Our current structure does not allow for the effective management and support for 16 sports,” Burckel said.

Each senior associate athletics director is now responsible for directly assisting several teams in addition to their administrative duties.

Burckel said the senior associate athletics directors will work in concert with the interim athletics director to support all 16 teams.

“These are unprecedented times and this will be a team effort,” Schroyer said. “I am committed to helping the university and I will put my full effort into this new role. I believe that the structure that Dr. Burckel has put in place will allow me to continue to focus on our men’s basketball program and also help to advance the athletics department as a whole.”

Schroyer has served as the McNeese head men’s basketball coach since March 2018.

Under the new organizational model, Tanner Stines, who serves as the department’s chief financial officer and game operations coordinator, will be the administrator for football and assist with fundraising and donor relations. He will also provide assistance to the track and field and cross-country teams. The head equipment manager and assistant athletics director for events management and facilities will report to Stines.

Bridget Martin, who also serves as the senior women’s administrator, will continue to be responsible for compliance and academic and APR oversight. Additionally, she will assist the women’s basketball, volleyball and men’s and women’s golf teams. The compliance assistant, director of student-athlete services and assistant director for student-athlete services will report to Martin.

A new senior associate athletics director will be hired to direct ticketing and game promotions, work on fundraising and serve as liaison to the athletic corporate sponsorships. This position will support the baseball, softball, soccer and tennis teams and the director of athletics marketing will report to this person.

Assistant athletics director Matthew Bonnette will be responsible for the athletics department’s communication and sports information. The assistant sports information directors will report to Bonnette.

Kason Kimbrell, assistant athletics director for development and fundraising, will now report to the vice president for university advancement.

Under this organizational structure, Schroyer will have overall departmental oversight and sports medicine and strength and conditioning report to him. He will work with the vice president for university advancement on athletics department fundraising efforts and continue to direct fundraising and donor relations for men’s basketball. During basketball season, Schroyer will focus on his head coaching duties.

“This model will allow the athletics director to focus more on leading the athletics department and external relations and it will give more assistance and support to all of the sports teams throughout the year and not just during their season,” Burckel said.