Liberty University Director of Athletics has changed the name of its sports information department to the Office of Athletic Media Relations and promoted Todd Wetmore, current sports information director, to the position of assistant athletic director for athletic media relations.
Also, current assistant sports information directors Joe Padron and Ryan Bomberger have been promoted to assistant athletic media relations directors.
"We have adjusted the department's title to better describe the daily services provided by this office," Director of Athletics Thom Park said. "The role of the office of athletic media relations is vital to the continued promotion of our athletic department as the office serves as a voice to the media and the general public about the endless successes of our programs."
The change in the department's name is the result of a national trend to better clarify the sports information department's role in an athletic department as a media relations office.
Liberty's athletic media relations office serves as the liaison between the athletic department and the members of the media, providing a wide variety of services, ranging from the distributing of statistical and historical information about each athletic program to serving as the point person for all interview requests for local, regional and national members of the media.
"Todd is a loyal Liberty professional who does a great job," Park added. "We are most excited to watch his progress leading this key role for Liberty athletics. We anticipate a great future for our athletic media relations department under his direction and leadership."
Wetmore is entering his sixth year as the head of the office and his ninth year overall as a full-time member of the athletic department. He worked his first three years as an assistant sports information director and since December 1999 as the office's director. He joined the office as a student assistant in 1993 and maintained that position for four years.
Wetmore, who is a 1998 graduate of Liberty, has continued the promotion of the athletic department since taking over his current position, including the complete overhaul of the department's athletic website, while receiving several accolades for his work by the College Sports Information Director's of America.