ABOVE VIDEO:Ryan Jones accepted the position of Associate Director of Division II Governance with the NCAA.
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Last week, Florida Tech Athletics Director Bill Jurgens announced that current Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications Ryan Jones has accepted the position of Associate Director of Division II Governance with the NCAA. He will continue to work at FIT until April 27 and begin his new position at the NCAA on May 9.
Bill Jurgens
“Ryan Jones has done an outstanding job as the head of athletic communications for Florida Tech Athletics and his new position as associate director of NCAA Division II governance is a great opportunity to further his communication skills at the national level,” Jurgens said.
“His work ethic and enthusiasm for his job have served him well in advancing every aspect of athletic communications for our student-athletes and our athletics program. Everyone in Athletics and many throughout the university have known for years how fortunate we are to have someone as dedicated and talented as Ryan, and when you have a great colleague working with you for over six years, you want what is best for them.
“I know he is ready to face the challenges of this new position and I knew that it was just a matter of time before the qualities that made him such an outstanding part of our program would be noticed by others throughout the country.
The NCAA has done its homework, and they will be a better organization for having chosen Ryan. We wish him the very best, and I know the friendships he has made and his love of Florida Tech will continue.”
Jones has done a lot over his six years at Florida Tech, helping bring the athletic department to new heights while overseeing the publicity, marketing, promotion and branding of all 22 varsity sports.
He has also helped plan and coordinate most of the department’s major events, including Team IMPACT Draft Days, Sports Hall of Fame Banquets, Athletic Awards Banquets, Inside the Huddle Dinners, Tip-Off Luncheons and home football games that have been broadcasted over the ESPN3 network.
Additionally, Jones had a hand in building Florida Tech’s digital presence by launching the Athletics’ Twitter and Instagram pages along with spearheading the launch of FIT’s first responsive athletics website, FloridaTechSports.com.
He also instituted live streaming for baseball, football, lacrosse, soccer and softball home games to provide fans the opportunity to see their friends, family or favorite teams compete.
Among his many other accomplishments, Jones assisted the launch of NCAA Division II’s only active football program in the state of Florida in 2013.
Ryan Jones has done a lot over his six years at Florida Tech, helping bring the athletic department to new heights while overseeing the publicity, marketing, promotion and branding of all 22 varsity sports.
Most of his work, however, is dedicated to highlighting the achievements of our student-athletes on and off the field.
This spring he directed a video depicting our sports programs’ work in the community and it was named a finalist for the NCAA Division II Award of Excellence.
Furthermore, Jones successfully pitched and landed three plays by our student-athletes on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Highlights over the years.
He has been a true asset to the growth of the athletic department since 2009. For his services, Jones was awarded the Florida Tech President’s Award for University Excellence in three straight years, 2013-15.
“I’ve loved my time at Florida Tech and I’ve taken great pride in being a Panther,” Jones said.
Ryan Jones
“I’m proud of the strides we’ve made as an athletics program for our student-athletes. They’ve accomplished a great deal both on and off the field. I’ve been honored to help tell their story and have enjoyed working with them, our support staff, coaches and administration.”
“I’m thankful for the opportunities our Athletics Director Bill Jurgens and the university have given me. Bill’s truly been a great mentor. I look forward to following the athletics program moving forward and I’m excited for the future,” Jones added.
In his new position, Jones will be responsible for the daily management of the division’s communication outreach, both internally and externally, serving as the liaison to the NCAA communications staff to ensure a unified communication strategy across the division and the Association.
He will also be responsible for various strategic initiatives for the division, including Division II branding, national media presence and outreach to associations and groups in the membership and at the national office. He will also serve as the primary liaison to the National Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
ABOVE VIDEO:This spring, Jones directed a video depicting our sports programs’ work in the community and it was named a finalist for the NCAA Division II Award of Excellence. (FTPanthers Video)
Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in sport business from Saint Leo University and will graduate with a Master in Business Administration from Florida Tech this May.
Prior to joining Florida Tech, he first gained experience in college athletics as an athletic media relations intern at Louisiana Tech University from Nov. 2008-Sept. 2009.
On Monday, Florida Tech Athletics Director Bill Jurgens announced that current Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications Ryan Jones has accepted the position of Associate Director of Division II Governance with the NCAA. He will continue to work at FIT until April 27 and begin his new position at the NCAA on May 9. (FIT Image)
