Marshall University Athletics
Marshall VP/Director of Athletics Gerald J. Harrison Names Executive Team
8/22/2025 12:42:00 PM | General
Kluemper elevated to Senior Assoc. Dir. of Athletics & Championship Resources
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall Vice President and Director of Athletics Gerald J. Harrison announced his complete Executive Team for Marshall Athletics on Friday.
"I am excited to work with these senior leaders," Harrison said. "Although my time with them has been brief, it is clear why they – with the exception of Niesha – have been part of the Executive Team in some capacity. I have adjusted many of their roles to give each an opportunity to demonstrate their professional talents and commitment to our new 'Herd Mentality.' I invite them to join me in our relentless pursuit of excellence with the ultimate goal of creating the most complete athletics department possible. It is a great time to run with the Herd!"
The announcement was highlighted by the elevation of Teddy Kluemper to Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Championship Resources and Executive Director of the Big Green Scholarship Foundation.
Kluemper, a 15-year veteran of Marshall Athletics, moves into the elevated role after serving as the interim Senior Associate A.D. for Development and Executive Director of the Big Green in recent months, replacing John Sutherland who retired earlier this year.
The Huntington native will also serve as a liaison to the ThunderTrust – Marshall's NIL Collective.
In addition to those roles, Kluemper will continue to cultivate powerful relationships to forge Marshall Athletics ahead through endowments while also serving to enhance the experience of Marshall alumni and their connection with Marshall University and Marshall Athletics through signature events and premium space opportunities.
"I am thrilled to provide Teddy with the opportunity to lead the Big Green," Harrison said of Kluemper. "Over the past 15 years, Teddy has demonstrated dedication and significant impact within Marshall Athletics, and it quickly became evident that he is a cherished member of the Huntington community. I am confident that, with the support of his team, he will continue to steward, cultivate and expand the financial resources necessary to support our outstanding student-athletes and coaches."
The elevation of Kluemper comes days after Harrison announced the addition of Niesha Campbell as the Executive Team's new Deputy Director of Athletics/Chief Operating Officer/Senior Woman Administrator.
After announcing Campbell's hire on Monday, Harrison expounded on Campbell's role within his new staff, citing that she will be charged with leading the Executive Team in long-term planning that aligns with Marshall University and Marshall Athletics goals.
Campbell's responsibilities include oversight of External Operations, which includes all marketing, communications, fan engagement and broadcast/media operations.
"We are fortunate to have an outstanding External team who can tell the story of our student-athletes, coaches and Marshall Athletics," Harrison said. "We now aim to create a strategic external plan for our department that reaches across various constituencies to educate, inform and inspire. Niesha Campbell previously led an external team at Austin Peay that garnered national awards for marketing and storytelling. Under her leadership, I am confident our external team will continue to elevate our efforts in this area, ensuring that Marshall Athletics is recognized not only as one of college athletics' best-kept secrets, but as one of college athletics' best."
Campbell also will serve as a sport administrator for Men's Basketball and Volleyball while also overseeing Corporate Partnerships and Revenue Generation and serving as a liaison to the university's General Counsel to provide oversight of NCAA compliance, student-athlete conduct and campus/community relations.
Harrison noted that Campbell's addition compliments the retained staff to fill out an impressive Executive Team that combines a wealth of experience with innovation and strategic initiatives that will drive revenue generation while maximizing the student-athlete experience.
Beatrice Crane Banford continues as the most tenured member of the Marshall Athletics Executive Team, serving as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Student-Athlete Well-Being and Success. In this position, Crane Banford continues to provide oversight to sports performance, nutrition and student-athlete development by serving as a liaison to academics, enrollment management, the H.E.L.P. program, Marshall Health and mental health services. She will also be a sport administrator for Women's Basketball, Swim & Dive, Tennis and Track & Field/Cross Country.
"Upon my arrival at Marshall, I encountered a talented group of senior-level administrators whose diverse skills will help us build a premier student-athlete experience for 2025 and beyond," Harrison said. "A crucial part of this commitment is the addition of Niesha to our team. Her experience, energy and dedication to implementing our holistic student-athlete success platform, combined with the institutional knowledge of our senior leaders like Beatrice Crane Banford will enable us to empower our student-athletes toward successful outcomes."
Debra Boughton will serve as Deputy Director of Athletics/Internal Operations and Chief Financial Officer. In today's climate of intercollegiate athletics, this integral position maintains fiscal responsibility of all Marshall Athletics by overseeing financial reporting and support services, budget management, travel and human resources. In addition, Boughton will be involved in implementation and execution of departmental strategic initiatives and will also offer sport oversight for men's soccer, women's soccer and softball.
"A key component to creating the most comprehensive athletics department in the country is outstanding leadership in internal operations," Harrison said. "Deputy Director Debra Boughton brings a strong financial and human resources background to our team. As the chief financial officer and internal operations leader for Marshall Athletics, she will collaborate with our senior leaders, coaches, staff and the campus community to ensure efficiency in our processes and sound stewardship of the financial resources we receive from the institution and our Big Green donors."
Mike Valentine will serve as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Athletics General Manager – a unique new position that modernizes the Executive Team, thus offering a forward-thinking approach to the challenges faced in today's intercollegiate athletics scope with NIL, the NCAA transfer portal and revenue-sharing.
"In addition to reinforcing our commitment to Herd student-athletes, we have designated an administrator to oversee roster management, NIL, revenue sharing, and the creation of our strategic plan for positioning in this space," Harrison said. "Mike Valentine, an experienced administrator, is expected to assess our current standing and guide our growth to ensure that our student-athletes, coaches, staff, and the entire Marshall community can celebrate multiple championship seasons for years to come."
Valentine will also serve as sport administrator for Marshall Football while overseeing camps and clinics for Marshall Athletics. He also maintains his previous role as the lead for equipment operations to manage Marshall's partnerships with Nike and BSN Sports.Â
Andrew Brown will serve Marshall Athletics as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Capital Projects and Championship Facilities, overseeing event management and operations, facilities operations and rentals, capital facility project execution, risk management procedures and serving as a law enforcement liaison for Marshall Athletics.
Brown will also offer sport oversight for baseball, men's golf and women's golf.
"As we continue to grow, addressing facility needs and upkeep remains essential," Harrison said. "We aim not only to recruit and retain top-notch student-athletes, but also to attract staff and fans of the Thundering Herd. Andrew Brown has shown dedication to Marshall and possesses a 'can-do' attitude that will help us enhance our facilities and envision future projects. We will work closely together to create a strategic facility plan for our future, in alignment with the Board of Governors, President Smith, and the support of our Big Green supporters to ensure the long-term health of Marshall Athletics within the University and Huntington communities."
Xander Karagosian – who joined Marshall earlier this year – will serve as the Executive Assistant to the Vice President/Director of Athletics.Â
Karagosian will coordinate the calendar, correspondence and travel for the Vice President/Director of Athletics, as well as assisting the Deputy Director/Chief Operating Officer with community and campus relations.
Karagosian will also assist the Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Student-Athlete Well-Being & Success with development initiatives and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) to ensure maximized student-athlete experience.
Marshall Athletics Executive Team
Gerald J. Harrison, Vice President/Director of Athletics
Niesha Campbell, Deputy Director of Athletics/Chief Operating Officer/SWA
Debra Boughton, Deputy Director of Athletics/Internal Operations/Chief Financial Officer
Teddy Kluemper III, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Championship Resources & Executive Director of Big Green Scholarship Foundation
Mike Valentine, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/General Manager
Beatrice Crane Banford, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Student-Athlete Well-Being & Success
Andrew Brown, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Capital Projects and Championship Facilities
Xander Karagosian, Executive Assistant To The Vice President/Director of Athletics
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