DeBord Promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Director; Three Others Move into Director Roles
Oct 26, 2022 | General, Memphis Athletics Fund
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – As the athletic year moves into the fall, University of Memphis Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Laird Veatch has announced a series of new hires and promotions throughout the department.
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"We are thrilled to reward Blair, Emily and Scott for their efforts and leadership with well-deserved promotions, and we welcome Cullen into this vital role in our sports medicine department," Veatch said. "We have many exciting initiatives planned for the rest of this athletics year, and we know these four individuals will continue to help set the course of Memphis Athletics."
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Blair DeBord has been promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Director, External Engagement. DeBord is a member of the Athletic Director's Senior Staff, oversees all development and fundraising operations in the Tiger Scholarship Fund and is the sport administrator for the Memphis baseball program. He joined the Memphis Athletic Department in Dec. 2019, and prior to Memphis, DeBord worked as Assistant Athletic Director for Development & Strategic Initiatives at UNLV from April 2018-Dec. 2019, served as Special Project Manager at Tennessee from 2017-18 and was the Assistant Director of Development at Kansas State from 2016-17.
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Under DeBord's leadership, Memphis Athletics is coming off a record-breaking fundraising year, totaling $24.3 million in philanthropic and ticket-related giving and pledges in 2021-22.
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Also in the Tiger Scholarship Fund, Emily Hagans has been promoted to Director, Athletic Stewardship Engagement. Hagans' responsibilities include managing development events and premium area hospitality, assisting with donor stewardship and organizing athletic department events. Hagans came to Memphis in Aug. 2021 after five years in various roles at Florida.
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In Integrated Communications, Scott Burns was promoted to Director, Integrated Communications. Burns serves as the primary communications contact for Memphis Football and now adds office oversight to his responsibilities. Burns arrived in Memphis in July 2021 after spending nearly six years at Indiana.
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Cullen Fridley, ED.D-C, M. Ed, ATC, LAT, CIDN, has been hired as Director, Olympic Sports Medicine, where he is tasked with helping develop and supervise a strategic vision for the care of Olympic sport student-athletes. Fridley's direct care will cover the overall health and wellness for Memphis Baseball. Fridley joins the Tigers after time as a PRN Athletic Trainer and Consultant, and he also worked as Director of Sports Medicine at Flagler College (2017-21) and Head Athletic Trainer at Missouri University of Science and Technology (2011-17).
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How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Athletics, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the department's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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"We are thrilled to reward Blair, Emily and Scott for their efforts and leadership with well-deserved promotions, and we welcome Cullen into this vital role in our sports medicine department," Veatch said. "We have many exciting initiatives planned for the rest of this athletics year, and we know these four individuals will continue to help set the course of Memphis Athletics."
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Blair DeBord has been promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Director, External Engagement. DeBord is a member of the Athletic Director's Senior Staff, oversees all development and fundraising operations in the Tiger Scholarship Fund and is the sport administrator for the Memphis baseball program. He joined the Memphis Athletic Department in Dec. 2019, and prior to Memphis, DeBord worked as Assistant Athletic Director for Development & Strategic Initiatives at UNLV from April 2018-Dec. 2019, served as Special Project Manager at Tennessee from 2017-18 and was the Assistant Director of Development at Kansas State from 2016-17.
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Under DeBord's leadership, Memphis Athletics is coming off a record-breaking fundraising year, totaling $24.3 million in philanthropic and ticket-related giving and pledges in 2021-22.
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Also in the Tiger Scholarship Fund, Emily Hagans has been promoted to Director, Athletic Stewardship Engagement. Hagans' responsibilities include managing development events and premium area hospitality, assisting with donor stewardship and organizing athletic department events. Hagans came to Memphis in Aug. 2021 after five years in various roles at Florida.
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In Integrated Communications, Scott Burns was promoted to Director, Integrated Communications. Burns serves as the primary communications contact for Memphis Football and now adds office oversight to his responsibilities. Burns arrived in Memphis in July 2021 after spending nearly six years at Indiana.
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Cullen Fridley, ED.D-C, M. Ed, ATC, LAT, CIDN, has been hired as Director, Olympic Sports Medicine, where he is tasked with helping develop and supervise a strategic vision for the care of Olympic sport student-athletes. Fridley's direct care will cover the overall health and wellness for Memphis Baseball. Fridley joins the Tigers after time as a PRN Athletic Trainer and Consultant, and he also worked as Director of Sports Medicine at Flagler College (2017-21) and Head Athletic Trainer at Missouri University of Science and Technology (2011-17).
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How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Athletics, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the department's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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