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News Nuggets, 07.30.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

ECU hires Ga. Southern's McClellan as media boss

East Carolina has turned to a seasoned professional from a school that rallies around its football and baseball programs to fill a key position in athletics administration.

ECU announced Thursday that Georgia Southern media relations veteran Tom McClellan has been hired as Director of Athletic Media Relations.

McClellan, with a resume that includes 16 years of experience in sports information functions, will assume his new post next month.

“We’re excited to have an individual of Tom’s (McClellan) caliber join our staff,” Interim Director of Athletics Nick Floyd said in a statement. “He has a great background in media relations in intercollegiate athletics, and we are looking forward to having him join the Pirate family.”

McClellan served as the Assistant Athletics Director for Media Relations at GSU, where he oversaw the publicity for all 15 intercollegiate sports and was particularly involved with the Eagles' nationally ranked football and baseball programs.

He headed GSU's media relations department for the last eight years and served a total of 12 years in the school's athletic department in two separate stints.

As editor of the Division I-AA Eagles' football media guide, he earned “best in the nation” honors in 2000 and 2001, runner-up status in 1998 and finished third in 1999.

McClellan spent four years as sports information director at Stetson from 1992-96, handling the publicity for men’s basketball and nationally-ranked baseball teams.

In 1993 and 1996, he served as the media coordinator for the First and Second Rounds of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Southeast Regional.

McClellan began his career at Georgia Southern in 1988 as the Associate Sports Information Director. He was the primary publicist for Eagle basketball squads which advanced to the NIT (1989) and NCAA Tournament (1992).

McClellan, who earned his B.A. in journalism/public relations from Sam Houston State University in 1987, will take over in mid-August for ECU Assistant Director of Media Relations Jody Jones, who has run the department on on interim basis since former director Craig Wells resigned in February.

McClellan is married to the former Joanne Langseth. They have a daughter Jessica (7).

Fox Sports Net bolsters college football ties

Fox Sports Networks has shored up its presence as a provider of college sports programming with a long-term deal with one of the nation's premier leagues.

Big 12 Conference football games will remain on Fox Sports Net through the 2011 season after the parties agreed earlier this week to a four-year contract extension.

Fox Sports Net also will televise 40 other Big 12 events, aside from football and men's basketball, including the women's basketball tournament and seven other conference championships through the end of the 2011-12 academic year.

"The exposure and financial support provided by this agreement have been an important part of the growth of our conference," Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg said.

"Continuing our relationship with the Big 12 conference is a key step in providing the best in college sports to our viewers," Fox Sports Networks president Bob Thompson said.

Fox Sports Net will air 16 Big 12 games nationally in 2004.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007