November 12, 1998
University of Missouri Director of Athletics Michael Alden has completed the alignment of his senior management team with the hiring of Mario Moccia (pronounced MO-cha) as Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs.
Moccia, 31, worked with Alden at both Southwest Texas State, where he currently is associate athletic director for external operations and executive director of the Bobcat Club, and at the University of New Mexico, where he was director of sales and assistant director of the Lobo Club. He'll begin his new assignment at the University of Missouri on Dec. 7.
At Mizzou, Moccia will oversee all of the functions that serve the athletic department's external constituencies - the Tiger Scholarship Fund, ticket office, media relations, marketing/promotions, broadcast operations, and game management operations. He'll also oversee Mizzou Sports Properties, the multi-media rights holder for MU Athletics.
"Bringing all of Missouri's external operations together under one umbrella will enable everyone to do a better job," Moccia said.
Moccia is a 1989 graduate of New Mexico State University, where he was the most valuable player of the Aggies baseball team in 1988 and '89. As a senior he was a pre-season all-American and was drafted by the Detroit Tigers. He spent two years in their minor league system before beginning his sports administration career. He earned his master of science degree in sports administration at the University of New Mexico in 1993, then joined the Lobo Athletic Department while Alden was Associate Athletic Director.
"I'd have to say our biggest accomplishments at Southwest Texas State came in the generation of revenue and the increase in fan interest," Moccia said. Marketing and promotions revenue doubled in his year-and-a-half with the Bobcats and their 1997 football attendance increase was the third highest in NCAA Division I-AA despite the Bobcats' 5-6 record. Membership in the Bobcat Club also climbed to its highest figure since 1982.
"I don't think there could be a better time than now to be at the University of Missouri," Moccia said. "My trip (to interview) convinced me that great things are happening there. I'm excited to be a part of what's going to be a bright future for the Tigers. I was very impressed with the big-time atmosphere of the program."
Alden has also promoted Peter Fields from Director of Business Affairs to Associate Athletic Director for Business Operations and altered the duties and responsibilities for Senior Associate Athletic Director Gene McArtor and Associate Athletic Director for Student Services Sarah Reesman.
"We have a tremendous staff at the University of Missouri," Alden said. "What these moves have done is refined our organization to be reactive to the tremendous needs that are placed on an athletic program as we prepare for the future. We've put people into positions that best serve their talents and abilities so that we can provide the best possible service to our coaches, student-athletes, fans and alumni."
The sports of baseball, golf, softball and track-and-field now report to McArtor, who also supervises the internal functions of sports medicine, strength-and-conditioning, equipment and maintenance, game scheduling and group travel.
Reesman is charged with the sports of gymnastics, soccer, swimming, tennis, volleyball and wrestling, while monitoring the student service functions of the Total Person Program, life skills, compliance and eligibility and video services. She also serves as the department's Senior Woman Administrator in dealings with the Big 12 Conference and NCAA.
Fields monitors all business related functions of the department, including personnel, purchasing, support staff, athletic food services, strategic planning, computing services and travel.