Jim Stephan, formerly the assistant director of media relations at Troy University, has been named Director of Media Relations at South Alabama as announced by Director of Athletics Joe Gottfried on Wednesday. He will begin his duties on Monday, August 6, overseeing publicity and media relations efforts for the Jaguars’ 16-sport program. Specifically, he will work with men’s basketball and baseball during the upcoming season.
Stephan brings with him 17 years of experience in the sports information field. During his two-plus years at Troy, Stephan oversaw publicity efforts for the men’s basketball, golf and track and field teams, while assisting the office in coverage of football. He also served as editor of the game-day program for football and worked closely in the supervision of student-assistants and interns.
Prior to moving to Alabama, Stephan, 41, spent four years as sports information coordinator at Ohio University, overseeing the athletic department’s public relations efforts for 21 sports. He worked directly with the football, men’s basketball and women’s lacrosse teams. Stephan started as Ohio’s assistant sports information director, dealing with volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball before being promoted after one year.
"We are excited with the appointment of Jim Stephan because he brings a wealth of experience in the capacity of head and assistant director of media relations," Gottfried said. “He comes highly recommended and we are looking forward to having Jim as our Director of Media Relations.”
A native of Savannah, Ga., Stephan began his career in sports information as a graduate assistant at Georgia Southern in 1989, where he worked with current Troy Senior Associate Director of Athletics Scott Farmer. He worked with the majority of sports there, moving up to associate director of media relations before leaving 10 years later. He spent the 1999-2000 season as director of media relations at the University of North Dakota.
“I am excited to move to South Alabama as its Director of Media Relations,” Stephan said. “Athletics has had great success there and I appreciate the trust that the administration has in me to oversee its media relations efforts.”
Stephan holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and a master’s degree in sports management from Georgia Southern. He is married to the former Elise Lane.