July 29, 2008

Charlotte, N.C. - Charlotte 49ers Senior Associate Athletic Director Darin Spease has been named chair of the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Committee. Spease has served one year on the committee and has three years remaining in this appointment.

A 1989 graduate of UNC Charlotte with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Business Administration, Spease has worked with the 49ers athletic department for the past 10 years. He was named Assistant A.D. for Business Affairs in May, 1998 and promoted to Associate A.D. in 2001 and Senior Associate A.D. in 2004. Among his duties, he oversees the 49ers nationally-ranked golf program.

"It is an honor to serve the sport of intercollegiate golf in this leadership capacity," said Spease, who served as the chair of the 2008 Atlantic 10 Men's Golf Committee. "The committee is made up of a dedicated group of administrators and coaches that I will lean on in our mutual quest to make the NCAA Golf Championship the very best it can be."

"Given the success of our men's golf program at Charlotte during the last four Championships, I have seen first-hand how decisions we make as a committee impacts the student-athletes' experience. Our goal will remain making the Championship a challenging test of golf and something they will remember for the rest of their lives."

Spease just completed his service as the 2007-08 President of the College Athletic Business Management Association (CABMA), a 600-plus member organization of collegiate business and operations officers. He has been on the association's executive committee since 2005.

He received his Masters Degree in Education with a concentration in Athletic Administration from UAB in 1993. At UAB, Spease was Associate A.D. from 1995-98 and an Assistant A.D. from 1993-95.

He returned to the Charlotte 49ers athletic department in 1998. As an undergrad, Spease worked in the 49ers Sports Information Office for four years.

The 49ers nationally-ranked golf team has posted top 10 finishes at the NCAA Div. I Men's Golf Championships in each of the last two years. In 2007, the 49ers placed third at the NCAA Championship -- matching the highest finish ever by a 49ers athletic team in NCAA Championship competition. In 2007-08 the 49ers became the first in school history to become a consensus number one ranked team in the country. They went on to place tied for 8th at the NCAA Championship. Charlotte has won three straight Atlantic 10 titles and been to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four years.