Just last July, Marco Born was promoted to executive associate athletic director at Louisiana Tech. After almost three years in Ruston, a star in college athletics management was on the rise, by many accounts.

“In my year and a half working with Marco, I can honestly say he is a man above reproach,” LaTech baseball coach Lane Burroughs said.

“Tremendous family man that takes great pride in his work as an administrator. He displays a work ethic and professionalism that resonates throughout the department. He was continually checking on me and my staff daily for any areas we could improve.”

Lamar has now caught its star, hiring Born as its athletic director. The Beaumont university announced his hire Thursday morning.

“Marco is a winner and our loss is Lamar’s gain. He is one of the young hungry lions in athletic administration. He is a star in the making and Lamar University got better today.”

Born becomes the first permanent replacement for Jason Henderson, who resigned last November for undisclosed reasons. Norman Bellard had served as AD in the interim.

“Mr. Born brings the student-athlete perspective and excellent administrator experience to his new role as athletics director at Lamar University,” Lamar President Kenneth Evans said in a statement. “His vision for the complementary relationship between athletics and academics is particularly impressive. Mr. Born has a passion for the role athletic s can and should play in enhancing the overall university for students, staff and/or faculty as well as the community at large. I look forward to working with him as we build upon the rich tradition of Lamar University and its athletic programs.”

Evans also thanked Bellard for his work during the transition from Henderson to Born.

Born was named senior associate athletic director for external affairs at LaTech in August 2014 and earned his promotion nearly three full years later. He oversaw fundraising, marketing and promotions, ticket sales, multimedia rights, licensing and merchandising for Bulldog and Lady Techster athletics.

According to a Lamar release, overall revenue for LU athletics increased by 148 percent and overall fundraising revenue increased by 252 percent under Born.

A fundraising campaign he led resulted in a 70,000-plus square foot, $22-million facility located in the south end zone of Joe Aillet Stadium and plans for an $18.6-million press box and guest suite facility upgrade at the football facility. The installation of new baseball and softball playing surfaces were announced in October 2015.

Born is a former NCAA doubles tennis champion at Middle Tennessee State who spent seven years there working in capacities ranging from group sales and marketing to ticketing director to associate athletic director. MTSU’s overall ticket sales increased by 25 percent in the 2013-14 season, when the women’s basketball team broke a school record for attendance in nearly averaging 5,000 per game. That figure ranked among the top 20 nationally.

“My family and I are very excited to be joining the Lamar University family,” Born said. “[Louisiana Tech AD] Tommy McClelland spoke very highly of Lamar form his time in the Southland Conference. Lamar University has experienced a great deal of success in the past, and continues to be successful. The more research I did the more excited I became about this opportunity. I believe Lamar University has great potential.”

Born is joining forces at Lamar with baseball coach Will Davis, whose father Randy was a baseball coach at LaTech. Born’s hire was announced the morning of Lamar’s spring football game, the second under coach Mike Schultz.

“I commend Dr. Evans for an outstanding hire,” McClelland said. “It is important for presidents to surround themselves with great people and Lamar University has accomplished that in its choice for AD. Marco is a rising star in the college athletics administration and, in my opinion, the ideal leader to advance Lamar’s athletics program.”

The “rising star” account of Born has also been used by Clemson deputy AD Graham Neff. Southern California senior associate AD Steve Lopes called Born a “rising leader in our industry.”

Born and his wife Emily, a former MTSU tennis player, have a 5-year-old daughter, Scarlett Elizabeth.

An introductory news conference for Born is expected to be held next week.
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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews