NATCHITOCHES – Haley Blount, a school record-setting competitor as a Northwestern State track and field student-athlete who has served as the associate director of alumni affairs at her alma mater for the past three years, has been named NSU's assistant athletic director for development and marketing.
 
Greg Burke, the Demons' director of athletics, and associate athletic director for external affairs Adam Jonson made the announcement Friday. Blount's hiring is subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System, which includes Northwestern State.
 
Blount, a magna cum laude graduate of NSU in May 2006, was executive director of the NSU Alumni Association as well as the associate director of alumni affairs since July 2011. She solicited funds for the Alumni Association and NSU Foundation, planned and coordinated all alumni events and events assigned by the office of NSU president Dr. Randy Webb, and managed the Alumni Association website, social media pages, the Purple Pulse e-newsletter and the Alumni Columns magazine.
 
Previously, she worked as an assistant in student services for the Stephen F. Austin athletics department for 18 months from 2010-11. For nearly three years following her graduation from Northwestern, Blount was an assistant track and field coach and head cross country coach for NSU.
 
Blount is actively engaged in community service organizations, serving as a board member and officer in three prominent local organizations.
 
She earned her master's degree in sport administration from NSU in 2007, and is pursuing a doctoral degree in educational leadership from Louisiana Tech.
 
"It's great to have Haley back in the athletic department and in a role which will be very impactful to our program on a daily basis," said Burke, AD at NSU since 1996. "Haley's organizational and creative abilities, work ethic, and existing relationships with so many of our supporters make her a perfect fit for the external initiatives which are so critical to the success of the program."
 
Jonson, early in his second year as associate AD, said he's excited about teaming with Blount to bolster fundraising and external endeavors.
 
"Having already established relationships with a number of our supporters during her time in the Alumni office, Haley will immediately be an asset to our development team," he said. "Also, as a former student-athlete, she brings a great perspective and will assist in many of our objectives."
 
Blount was a four-year competitor as a pole vaulter for the Lady Demons and still holds the NSU women's school record with an 11-6 ¼ clearance at the 2006 Southland Conference Outdoor Championships. She did an internship with USA Track & Field in 2007, serving as assistant producer of the AT&T USA Outdoor Championships in Indianapolis, and she also assisted with operations at the 2008 USA Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.
 
She was the women's track and field team representative from 2004-06 on the NSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and was on the 2005 All-Louisiana Collegiate Track and Field Team based on posting one of the top three marks by any state competitor in her event. Blount was included on the Southland Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll for academic achievement each season from 2002-06.
 
"Our department has been fortunate, through the years, to have many former student-athletes fill coaching and staff positions and that is special because those individuals have an innate passion and affinity for the athletic program," said Burke. "I was blessed to know Haley during her time as a track and field student-athlete and have watched her continue to grow professionally. I now look forward to working with her to sustain the momentum NSU Athletics has from a highly successful 2013-14 year."
 
Blount is the president of the women's service organization Les Amies of Natchitoches and has been a board member since 2009. She has coordinated Les Amies community service activities and assisted with fundraising.
 
She has served as vice president of the Kiwanis Club of Natchitoches, and fundraising coordinator and board member for the Natchitoches Hope for Paws organization. She's also been a team captain for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Natchitoches, and has assisted with the Natchitoches Parish Special Olympics.
 
As an undergraduate, Blount won the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority highest grade point average award in 2005 and 2006, and earned the NSU Health and Human Performance Department's Hall of Fame Award in 2006 for being the outstanding student-athlete of the year.
 
Her father, Terry, is a ESPN.com sportswriter covering the NFL's Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, whose team includes third-year cornerback Jeremy Lane, a product of the NSU football program.