West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen has named Alex Hammond his new recruiting coordinator and operations man, filling the spot opened with the departure of former Mountaineer head coach Bill Stewart.
West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen has named Alex Hammond his new recruiting coordinator and operations man.
Hammond brings credentials to Holgorsen's program similar to that of receivers coach and Harvard graduate Daron Roberts.
Originally from Indianapolis, Hammond, 30, said Friday he earned an undergraduate degree from Texas and worked at the White House for two years and the State Department for one year. He predominately worked on a global aids relief program and spent significant time in Africa and East Asia.
Hammond then attended Northwestern University in Chicago and, briefly, worked for a law firm.
"I knew, though, my passion was in intercollegiate athletics," Hammond said.
So he landed a job with the NCAA, with which he spent the past two years as an associate director for amateurism certification.
"My NCAA background and knowledge of the gauntlet of bylaws will help Coach Holgorsen," Hammond said. "We want to be in compliance. Also, I saw game day operations at other schools and the use of social media.
"In today's college football world you have to know the rules. I'm at the front end of what others are doing and what we can be doing."
West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen has named Alex Hammond his new recruiting coordinator and operations man.
Hammond brings credentials to Holgorsen's program similar to that of receivers coach and Harvard graduate Daron Roberts.
Originally from Indianapolis, Hammond, 30, said Friday he earned an undergraduate degree from Texas and worked at the White House for two years and the State Department for one year. He predominately worked on a global aids relief program and spent significant time in Africa and East Asia.
Hammond then attended Northwestern University in Chicago and, briefly, worked for a law firm.
"I knew, though, my passion was in intercollegiate athletics," Hammond said.
So he landed a job with the NCAA, with which he spent the past two years as an associate director for amateurism certification.
"My NCAA background and knowledge of the gauntlet of bylaws will help Coach Holgorsen," Hammond said. "We want to be in compliance. Also, I saw game day operations at other schools and the use of social media.
"In today's college football world you have to know the rules. I'm at the front end of what others are doing and what we can be doing."
Hammond said he is a friend of Roberts, who also worked in Washington.
"My operational work in the government gave me a skill set to take to college athletics," Hammond said. "It's going to be an exciting time.
"Daron's already paying dividends in the recruiting world. And I have connections."
Hammond said he's ready to tackle the job.
"The one thing we definitely want to do well is be in compliance," Hammond said. "We want to be in compliance and be a recruiting machine, getting the best kids to Morgantown."
Reach Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827, mitchvin...@wvgazette.com or follow him at twitter.com/MitchVingle.
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