May 10, 2012

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Martin Newton, Samford University's director of athletics, announced a re-organization of the senior staff and several re-assignments within the school's athletics department on Thursday.

On the senior staff, Larry Long has been named Deputy Director of Athletics. Long will oversee athletic development, and he will assist Newton in the management of the department. Long came to Samford in 2007, and he served as the executive director of the athletic foundation for his first four years at the school.

Peter Neuberger, who has been at Samford for over 25 years, will continue to serve as senior associate director of athletics for academic affairs. Neuberger has worn a number of hats in his time at Samford, starting as an assistant basketball coach in the 1980s and moving into administration in 1991.

Michelle Durban has been named senior associate director of athletics for compliance and senior woman administrator. Durban has been at Samford for eight years, starting as the school's head volleyball coach in 2004. She has served as associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator for the past three years.

Serving as senior associate director of athletics for internal affairs will be Wanda Lucas. Lucas has been at Samford for over 20 years, and has served as the assistant to the director of athletics and as the athletics business manager, before being promoted to assistant director of athletics in 2007.

Marvin Julich, Jr., will serve as the senior associate director of athletics for external affairs. Julich, a graduate of Samford and former Bulldog baseball player, will oversee marketing, licensing, communications, corporate sales, annual giving, tickets and game operations. Julich has been in charge of Samford's Bulldog Club for the past year.

In addition to the changes on the senior staff, Newton also announced several re-assignments in the athletics department staff.

Michael McGreevey, who served as the director of tickets and customer service for the past year, has been named the director of The Bulldog Club, tickets and operations.

Chris Davis will serve as the operations manager for The Bulldog Club. Davis was the olympic sports marketing manager for the past year.

Emily London has been named game operations and event manager after working as special projects coordinator for the past year. Rachel Ketchum, after serving as ticketing and game operations assistant last year, has been named athletics ticket manager. Nathan Sheehan has been named assistant sports information director, after working as an intern for the department since August.