Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina Director of Athletics
Alex Gary today announced several promotions within and a couple of recent additions to the Catamount Athletics administrative staff. These changes are in addition to several coaching staff changes among the department's 16 intercollegiate sports and support staff.
Chad Gerrety – Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs
Gerrety stepped into the role of Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs in 2013 after a highly successful stint as the General Manager of the Akron ISP / IMG Sports Network. He directly supervises the marketing, corporate sales, ticketing, and media relations activities of the department and remains heavily involved with department branding. Under Gerrety's guidance, WCU has exceeded all-time highs in revenues and attendance at home events, most recently leading the Southern Conference and ranking 15th in the NCAA FCS in average attendance. Gerrety is a member of the WCU Athletics Senior Staff.
Ashleigh Simmons – Senior Associate Athletics Director for Student Success
Simmons joined the Catamount Athletics staff in July 2022 as the Associate Athletics Director for Student Success while also serving as the department's Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) – a role she had also previously held at her alma mater, the University of Louisiana at Monroe. She has been at WCU since 2021, beginning with WCU's Academic Affairs before making the move to Athletics. A part of the WCU Athletics senior leadership team, Simmons leads WCU's student-athlete affairs and heads the department's academic success programs.
Daniel Hooker – Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations
A 2001 graduate of Western Carolina University, Hooker returned to his alma mater in 2004 as the Director of Media Relations before being elevated to Assistant Athletics Director of Media Relations in 2007. A member of the WCU Athletics Senior Staff, Hooker serves as the department spokesperson in helping guide the communication efforts of WCU's 16 Division I programs including oversight of the department's website – CatamountSports.com – and social media channels. He also supervises many of WCU's broadcasting efforts through the Catamount Sports Network and the ESPN family of networks.
WCU Athletics Media Relations has also added two staff members over the several months including
Gregory Hartlage and most recently,
Joshua Ragsdale. The two assumed Director of Media Relations roles within the department. Hartlage joined the Catamount Athletics staff from Presbyterian in June 2023 with Ragsdale, a University of Alabama graduate, beginning in the department in mid-January 2024 from USC Upstate.
Tyler Pope – Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing and Promotions
A 2017 graduate of Western Carolina University, Pope returned to his alma mater as the Director of Marketing for Catamount Athletics in August 2021. His title was later adjusted to include Fan Engagement. Pope spearheads WCU's marketing and promotion initiatives helping drive the recent increases in attendance figures and ticketing revenues. Pope started with Catamount Athletics while an undergraduate student, while also gaining professional experience at the University of Georgia and Northern Illinois University as a graduate assistant.
Patrick Mullaney – Director of Video Operations
Mullaney arrived on the Western Carolina campus in August 2021 from fellow SoCon member Wofford where he was the video production coordinator, assuming the role of Assistant Director of Video Operations. After twice serving as the interim head of WCU's video productions during his time in Cullowhee, Mullaney was elevated to the Director of Video Operations position in January 2024. During his time at WCU, Mullaney developed a strategic plan for building a strong student-based crew and helped rebuild the Catamount Athletics video control room where the department produces nearly 100 live event broadcasts per year.
Madison Cope – Director of Women's Basketball Operations
A recent Western Carolina graduate and undergraduate student manager over the past several seasons, Cope was added to the Catamount women's basketball staff in January, assuming the operations role for head coach Kiley Hill.
Nicole Skarbek – Assistant Director of Athletics Facilities & Game Operations
Another December 2023 graduate of Western Carolina University, Skarbek joined the Catamount Athletics staff in January 2024. She works alongside Trey Fisher, who was promoted from the assistant position to the Director of Athletics Facilities & Operations back in September 2023. Skarbek worked with WCU's facilities and game operations staff while an undergraduate student, and gained experience working with the Charlotte Checkers AHL hockey team and as a ticket operations associate with Tepper Sports & Entertainment.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount Athletics through our social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@Catamounts).
