McMillian named AU's fourth athletics director
Staff report
Augusta University has hired Greenbrier High product Brent McMillian as the fourth athletics director in the university’s history.
McMillian succeeds Ryan Erlacher, who resigned in early December. Melissa Brocato, the Jaguar softball coach, has served as interim AD since December.
“Brent separated himself from the 100 plus candidates and did a phenomenal job on the interview,” said AU men’s basketball coach Dip Metress. “I thought he was competent and confident with his thoughts. I think his competitive nature will resonate with Jaguars fans.”
Having attended AU for two years before finishing his undergraduate degree in sports management at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, McMillian comes to AU from Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn. There he was senior associate athletic director for external engagement and revenue generation. Lipscomb is an NCAA Division I school that plays in the Atlantic Sun Conference. He began his stint at Lipscomb in 2018.
Before Lipscomb, McMillian worked at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
At both Tennessee universities, fund-raising has been a major part of his responsibilities.
McMillian also worked for Old Dominion University in an event management and for the Asheville Tourists minor-league baseball team in promotions.
The other two ADs in the history of the Jaguar athletics program were Clint Bryant and Marvin Vanover.
Only men and women’s golf compete in Division I at AU. All other sports are D2. In recent years, the Jaguar program has produced league champions in men and women’s basketball, men’s cross-country, volleyball and women and men’s golf.
The men’s golf program has produced three national championships, two team titles (2010 and 2011) and the individual national champion in Broc Everett in 2018. The men’s basketball team has been to the national title game twice and the Elite Eight four times. Last year, Avery Jaynes became the first-ever track athlete to earn all-American when he finished fifth in the 10,000 meters at the D2 outdoor national championships. The AU men have dominated Peach Belt cross-country during the 2020s.
McMillian inherits a program that saw renovations made to Christenberry Fieldhouse last year, as well as major improvements to the baseball and softball stadia in recent years.
Historically, Lipscomb is best known for its men’s basketball program under legendary coach Don Meyer, who won an NAIA national championship for the Bison using his patented motion offense. Meyer coached at Lipscomb from 1975-1999. His best player, John Pierce, scored 4,230 points in his career—still the all-time record for women and men’s basketball at any collegiate level.
McMillian officially takes over at Augusta on June 8.
Note: At the top of the page, Brent McMillian brings a wealth of athletics management experience to the AD’s post at AU. (photo courtesy of AU Athletics)
