Three athletic administrators, Susan Gutkind, Rob Schabert and Randy Smith, received promotions and new job titles as of July 1.

"We're reorganizing and restructuring to become more efficient and give us the greatest degree of accountability," says Athletics Director Mark Wilson. "We're trying to streamline our operation. All three of these administrators have shown loyalty to the institution, a commitment to hard work and a dedication to their job. These new titles more accurately reflect the important role each one plays within the administration of Tennessee Tech athletics."

Gutkind received a Ph.D. in sports psychology in 2002 from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Gutkind becomes assistant athletics director for academics and student welfare/senior women's administrator. Schabert has been promoted to assistant athletics director for sports information and broadcasting. Smith's new position title is associate athletics director for operations, facilities and capital projects.

In addition to those three new job titles, a new position has been created, and a search is currently under way to fill the role of assistant athletics director for corporate sales, marketing and promotions.

Gutkind joined the Tennessee Tech athletic staff last July 1 as athletics academic advisor. In the fall, she implemented a new program called WIN (Work Intensely Now) to increase retention of at-risk student-athletes; increase student-athlete responsibility for academic progress; and provide timely, accurate and meaningful academic information between coaches and the academic advisor.

In her new role, she will also look after the welfare of Tech's student-athletes and work closely with the university's CHAMPS program.

Before joining Athletics, she taught at a middle school in Oakland, Calif., and spent the 2003-2004 season as an academic coach at Austin East High School in Knoxville as part of the national "Play it Smart" program.

Schabert earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications from St. Cloud State University in 1977.

Schabert has been our sports information director for nearly 23 years, since joining Athletics in 1982. In 2004, he was voted winner of our Outstanding Professional Award, and has won dozens of national awards for his publications and writing, including "Best in the Nation" from USA Volleyball in six of the past 12 years.

He's introduced a number of programs in Athletics, including the Athletic Director's Honor Roll, the President's Award program, and the Man of the Year and Woman of the Year awards, along with the Outstanding Male and Female Athlete Awards. Over the years, Schabert has prompted the selection of numerous Tech athletes as Academic all-Americans.

Before joining our Athletics administration, he spent one year in public relations with the Minnesota Twins and was SID at Mankato State for five years.

A 1979 TTU graduate, Smith played tennis for the Golden Eagles for three seasons while earning a bachelor's degree. He has been active in coaching tennis and athletic administration for 35 years, 18 of them at TTU.

In his new role, Smith serves as coordinator of facilities and oversees intercollegiate athletics events hosted by the university. He is also involved in the strategic planning for all capital projects for athletics, such as helping to develop architectural plans to open a new, 10,000-square-foot strength and conditioning center for all 16 varsity sports.

In 2002, Smith began a five-year appointment on the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Tennis Committee, which he currently chairs. At home events, Smith coordinates logistics for all venues, and is responsible for a myriad of details ranging from the physical plant at each site to parking, public address systems, security and concessions. He doesn't actually drive the team bus, but he decides where to park it.

During his 13 seasons as Tech's head tennis coach, he directed both the men's and women's teams from 1988 through 2001, winning two men's and one women's OVC championship and earning four OVC Coach of the Year awards.