MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Christian Brothers University Director of Athletics Chris Parker announced James Garcia as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications on Tuesday. Garcia brings over seven years of experience in the Athletic Communications industry to CBU.
"We are so excited to welcome James Garcia and feel he is the right person at the right time to help us tell the story of the value of CBU Athletics," said Parker. "His experience in building an Athletic Communications office from the ground up has given him a unique experience that will help take our department to another level of marketing and public relations. I am confident we have found the hidden gem that we have been seeking."
"I'm so grateful to be offered this opportunity at a first-rate institution with a Director of Athletics and coaching staff that is clearly committed to excellence," remarked Garcia. "I knew from the first conversation that I had with Chris, and the ones that followed, that I wanted to be a part of what he is developing in the Athletics Department at CBU. I firmly believe that I can be the final piece to his puzzle in leading this department forward."
Garcia spent the last five years as the Sports Information Director (SID) at Division II West Virginia State University (Institute, W.Va.). He became the first fully-dedicated SID in the school's history and was tasked with implementing industry standards across all facets of Athletic Communications. He made an instant impact through his improved coverage of all varsity sports, social media management skills, gameday operations expertise and professionalism in media relations.
Garcia redesigned the official athletics website for WVSU in 2021 to create a user-friendly, attractive and reliable source of information for the school's fan base. After the successful redesign, website users more than doubled to over 200,000 per year. His management of the official athletics Instagram, X and Facebook accounts resulted in a doubling of followers to over 15,000 across all platforms. His commitment to the promotion of student-athletes led to nearly 150 All-Conference selections, over 80 Player of the Week designations, more than 30 All-Region awards and 20 All-American honors during his tenure.
Prior to serving as the SID at West Virginia State, Garcia spent one year as a Graduate Assistant in the Sports Information Department at Division II Wheeling Jesuit University. He worked directly under the Sports Information Director with one other GA to cover 22 varsity sports. A highlight during his time at WJU was being called upon to provide statistics for all the games at the first Mountain East Conference Basketball Tournament played at the WesBanco Arena (Wheeling, W.Va.). His willingness to take on further responsibility during his stint at Wheeling Jesuit resulted in the offer of a full-time position at WVSU within his first year.
Garcia combined stints at NAIA St. Thomas University (Miami Gardens, Fla.) and Division I University of North Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.) to earn his first year of experience in the Athletic Communications field. He completed a full-time internship at STU as part of his degree program at UNF. He developed his AP Style writing skills under the tutelage of a highly-experienced SID at St. Thomas while learning other facets of the profession such as utilization of stat programs, website maintenance and compliance with league rules.
Garcia graduated magna cum laude from the University of North Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management in 2016. He was first introduced to his career field through a practicum with the Athletic Communications Department at UNF. He was able to gain firsthand experience in operating at the highest level of collegiate athletics while finding his professional calling. His passion for sports began at a young age on the ballfields in his hometown of Davie, Fla. and was intensified by weekend trips to Gainesville, Fla. with his father to watch the Florida Gators play.
