BEREA, Ohio – Baldwin Wallace University alumni John Snell '87, Jeff Miller '96 and Rob Becker '04 have been tasked with leading the reshaped Department of Athletics into the 2020-21 academic year.
In an effort to better serve the campus and its almost 700 student-athletes, the University has renamed the Office of Sports Information to the Office of Athletic Communications and renamed Recreational Sports and Services to Campus Recreation while reassigning both departments to athletics.
Snell, who has served as the Assistant Director of Athletics for the past three years and was the head football coach for 15 seasons, will serve as the Interim Director of Athletics. Miller, who was the Sports and Media Information Director the past four years, was promoted to the Director of Athletic Communications. Becker, who was the Assistant Director of Recreational Sports and Services for the past 12 years, was elevated to Director of Campus Recreation and Athletic Facilities.
Snell, who enters his 26th season at BW, was responsible for athletic eligibility, compliance and event management as assistant athletic director while also assisting with all other aspects within the department. During his tenure as head football coach, he led the Yellow Jackets to the NCAA Division III National Playoffs in 2003 and compiled an impressive 92-60 career record and was named the Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the Year on two occasions. Snell, who is fourth all-time in school history for wins, mentored 122 All-Ohio Athletic Conference and 102 Academic All-OAC student-athletes and is the only coach since Lee Tressel to win a National playoff game. Prior to being the head coach, Snell served as an assistant coach in charge of quarterbacks and recruiting and was the offensive coordinator for five years. Before returning to his alma mater, Snell coached at the University of Rochester (1987-88 and again from 1992-94), Rutgers University (1988-90) and the University of Buffalo (1990-92). He is a native of Albion, New York, and graduated from Albion High School in 1983. Snell and his wife, Shelly, reside in Strongsville with their three children.
"It is truly an honor and a privilege to be serving our coaches, athletes, alumni and the entire BW Community in this capacity," stated Snell. "I am so grateful for the opportunity that President Helmer has given me to navigate our department through a very challenging time in college athletics. It is a great responsibility for me personally and professionally and I am so excited to be given this task. Rest assured, I will do everything in my power to lead our department forward into the year 2021 and make it a great year for our student-athletes. We have an outstanding group of people in our athletic department and I wouldn't want to be a part of any other group. As it was with the coaching position here, I follow in the footsteps of several great people who have served as the Athletic Director."
Miller, who begins his eleventh year in 2020-21, returned to BW and sports public relations in September 2010 when he was named the Assistant Sports Information Director. In 2014, he was promoted to Associate Director of Sports Information and in 2016 was elevated to Sports and Media Information Director. Prior to returning to Berea, Miller served as an Inside Sales Representative for Metro Disposal and, before that, he was the Membership Director at the West Shore Family YMCA in Westlake. Before the YMCA, Miller was the Director of Public Relations for the Cleveland Force, which ceased operations in May 2002. He was responsible for the marketing, public relations, publications and statistics for the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) franchise. Miller has also served as the Director of Sports Information at Oberlin College (1998-2002), Media Relations Assistant for the Cleveland Cavaliers (1997-98) and Sports Information Assistant at Texas State University at San Marcos (1996-97). While at BW, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sport management and a minor in business administration. Miller was a student assistant in the Office of Sports Information all four years and served as a crew chief for several sports. In addition, he was a member of the Yellow Jacket club soccer team all four years and served as the club's treasurer and president. Miller, who resides in Olmsted Township, is an active member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and served on its Academic All-America committee.
"I am thrilled to join two other alumni in leading the Department of Athletics," commented Miller. "John, Rob and I have a big task at hand, but I feel that the three of us as well as the 20-plus other Yellow Jackets for Life on the athletics staff will make our department the best in Division III."
Becker returned to BW in 2008 as the associate director of Recreational Sports and Services after serving two years as the Director of Recreation and Athletic Operations at The University of West Alabama. Prior to UWA, he completed a two-year graduate assistantship at Wright State University in Athletics and Recreation, while earning a master's degree in higher education administration. Becker has been an active member in the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) and served as President of the Ohio Recreational Sports Association (ORSA). While a student at BW, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sport management and a minor in business administration and coaching. Becker was a four-year letterman and an All-Ohio Athletic Conference selection for football in 2003. He worked in the rec center and athletic facilities as a student during all four years. Becker and his wife, Nancy, reside in Berea with their two children Lilly (12) and Clay (8).
"I am excited for the opportunity to lead and learn with such a great group," mentioned Becker. "When it comes to ideas for facilities and program opportunities, my job is to make them a reality, so we can help better serve the students, athletes and coaches, and I couldn't ask for a better staff to tackle this challenge with."
