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CSCommunicators.com/CelebrateCSC
This feature is part of our series of profiles showcasing members throughout the CSC membership during the celebration of College Sports Communicators Membership Appreciation Week for 2022-23. See more features at CSCommunicators.com/CelebrateCSC.
Danny Elizondo – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
by Kobe Mosley – College Sports Communicators, 2023 Intern
Danny Elizondo is nearing his third year in the role of Assistant Athletic Director for Communications at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), an NCAA Division I program in south Texas in Edinburg, Texas. UTRGV is a member of the Western Athletic Conference. Elizondo has been a full-time employee at UTRGV for almost a decade now, with his time in the athletics department starting while he was still an undergrad in 2008. His primary duties today consist of acting as the primary media contact for women's basketball and men's and women's golf, soccer, and tennis. Elizondo also oversees the scorer's table and stats crew for all of his designated sports during game days and is one of the broadcasters for baseball.
Below, Elizondo describes his relationship with his co-workers at UTRGV, his work with the Houston Rockets’ G-League affiliate, and what his future career goals are.
Wrapping up a baseball interview at the Vaqueros’ UTRGV Baseball Stadium.
What makes UT Rio Grande Valley feel like home to you?
DE: Well, it IS home! I was born and raised here in Edinburg, just a couple of blocks down from campus. I grew up in my grandma's house, which is right behind where our baseball stadium is now. This is home – all my family's here. I grew up watching games in the fieldhouse here as a kid and watching baseball games at the old [Jody Ramsey Memorial] stadium. So I have deep ties here and to be able to come to school here, graduate, and work here, it's awesome to be able to accomplish something like that.
What is the most rewarding part of your role?
DE: There's a lot of good stuff, from the relationships you build with the student-athletes, watching after they graduate and see them go off and then do their own thing. But the big thing for me is, I'm a big family person. And this group that we work with, our external ops, communications, marketing and tickets staff, it's like a family for me. I spend most of my time with these people, so they are family. And it's great to be able to build bonds with them and to be able to create something great here at UTRGV.
Elizondo with Western Athletic Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Year Dominique Ibarra (middle) and Associate Athletic Director for Marketing and Strategic Initiatives Sara Hernandez (right) at athletic department’s 2019 V Awards.
How does your relationship with your co-workers impact the work you do? Do you feel like you produce better work since you're so close?
DE: Yeah, definitely. I mean, when one succeeds, we all succeed, right? And when one fails, we all fail. So we want to make sure that we not only do our part in our area, but we help each other in their areas, whether it's marketing or trying to sell some tickets, or we're trying to find some information from an alum that we can share with the corporate side so that they can help raise money. We each have a part in our roles, and then we try to do the best that we can to help everybody else. Together we succeed and we've been doing a great job the last couple of years.
You get to work with the G-League affiliate of the Houston Rockets, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. How did that opportunity come about?
DE: Some of my friends who worked there were the directors of broadcasting. They asked if I would want to come on as they had an open spot in their stats crew. I did and I've been there ever since. It's been almost maybe12 years now. So, it's been a long time. But just to be able to be a part of that NBA affiliate is cool. A bunch of NBA players [come] through and you get to see them play. And then all of a sudden you’ll see them on TV, it's like "Hey, I got to see that guy play right in front of me." So that's pretty cool.
Elizondo walking across the UTRGV tennis courts to check match scores.
Do you believe that diversity is growing at a good pace within the college athletic industry? And how do you think that increasing diversity will change things for the better?
DE: College athletics is so ethnically diversified, with athletes from both the USA along with international student-athletes. I think it's important to be able to diversify, not just to say you have a diversified student-athletes group, but (to have diversity with) those in high roles in the department as well. This allows us to connect better with those student-athletes. And I think in years past, it's gotten a lot better. You see a lot more, not just men, but women are going into higher roles. We got a lot of women here that are doing great things for us and are leaders here for us. To be able to have that kind of diversity, it shows that we're all inclusive and we're trying to push that envelope even further as we go forward.
What career goals do you have for the future?
DE: I just want to be the best that I can be for my co-workers and the student-athletes. Like I said, this is home for me. I don't have any aspirations of going anywhere else to try to pursue this career because if I can create something better here then I would love to do that. Like I said, all my family's here. I have ties here. If we can keep building here at UTRGV, that's what I like to do ... and I want to be the best that I can be. Not just for myself, but for everybody around here.
Fun facts about Danny:
Favorite hobby outside of sports? Spending time with family
Favorite breakfast food? pop-tarts, especially the s’mores
Sports team you love to root against? The New York Yankees and LA Dodgers
Best piece of advice you’ve gotten as a young professional? Make the best of the opportunity you have right now.
Elizondo celebrates Mother’s Day with his family.
Getting everything set for the opening round of a recent UTRGV Golf Invitational.