NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Mark Elliott, a former Vanderbilt University basketball and baseball player, has been selected director of athletics at Trevecca Nazarene University as announced by University President, Dan L. Boone. Elliott will assume his new duties effective July 18, 2011.

Elliott is the thirteenth athletic director in Trevecca's history and replaces Brenda Patterson who served in the role from 2007-2011.

Trevecca president Dr. Dan Boone commented on the promise he sees for Trevecca athletics under Elliott's guidance: "I have great hopes for the Trevecca athletic program under the leadership of Mark Elliott. He is the walking brand of Trevecca -a man of deep faith and integrity, a mentor to the next generation, a team-builder.

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His love for Nashville sports and Trevecca is a great combination."

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Elliott, who attended Vanderbilt from 1977-1980 and coached there from 1987-1994, most recently served as director of basketball operations at A-Game Sportsplex in Franklin, Tenn. At A-Game, Elliott oversaw all of A-Game's basketball operations, including coordination of local, regional, and national tournaments and running all local leagues and clinics.

The search for the new athletic director was headed by Steve Harris, associate provost and dean of student development. The position was posted in March with more than 100 applications presented for consideration. The Search Committee reviewed the applications and presented their top ten candidates for consideration. The list of 10 was narrowed to four, all of whom were brought to campus for interviews. The final four candidates met with the President's Cabinet, Search Committee, and the athletic department staff.

Steve Harris acknowledges that Trevecca has hired a true leader: "Mark is an outstanding person and leader whom we believe will help shape the vision for the future of our athletic program. He is a person of character and integrity who clearly exemplifies the mission of Trevecca. He will be a great role model to our coaches and student athletes as we strive to prepare them for lives of leadership and service."

Elliott said his attraction to the athletic director position at Trevecca was sealed following his initial conversations with Dr. Boone and Dr. Harris: "They spoke about two important priorities that drew me to Treveccca and this position. Priority number one was to integrate Trevecca's mission statement with the athletic department. Secondly, they wanted someone who has a heart for the student athlete and the coaches...someone who would encourage, love and support these key people."

Elliott said his journey to Trevecca began years ago through a long line of friends and colleagues: "Ron Bargatze, who would later coach men's basketball at Trevecca, recruited Charles Davis and me to Vanderbilt. We naturally followed Coach B's career as it continued at TNU. Adding to the connection was Trevecca basketball player Fred Harris, who along with Charles Davis, led McGavock High School to a state championship."

The connection grew for Elliott during his coaching career: "As a coach at MBA and later as an assistant at Vanderbilt, I coached against or recruited future Trevecca players. Mac Heaberlin comes to mind. We followed his career at Trevecca along with Avery Patton and Charles Brooks. There were some great games as Trevecca battled against Lipscomb and Belmont for supremacy in Nashville and very often to be the best in the NAIA.

Mark Elliott's connection grew more personal when his son Matthew decided to play basketball at Trevecca, "I learned to love Trevecca over the past five years as I watched my son, Matthew, grow and mature through all the experiences of the university. Matthew is a great example of how Trevecca's mission statement can permeate itself into the life of an athlete."

In the last couple of years Mark Elliott's college basketball coach become involved in Trevecca's athletic future. Elliott says that added another thread that has led him to Trevecca: "C.M. Newton, after consulting Trevecca during the athletic department self study, is very encouraged about the potential impact the Trojan athletic department can make on this campus and in this city. So we find ourselves here, with God's perfect timing placing me here as a part of Trevecca's athletic future."

After graduating from Vanderbilt in 1980, he played for five years in the New York Mets minor league system. He was head basketball coach at Montgomery Bell Academy for five years (1982-1988) before moving to Vanderbilt as an assistant coach and then serving his last four years as Vanderbilt's director of basketball operations. Prior to joining A-Game, he worked in sales management for Franklin-based Fitness Systems for 16 years.

Elliott is married to Roseann (Ro) and together they have five children, Amy Ross (29), Daniel (25), Matthew (24), Christopher (17), and Mary Grace (15). He graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, Tenn.

Trevecca's athletic program started with a men's basketball team for the 1968-1969 school year. Trevecca currently fields 11 intercollegiate athletic teams. Trevecca is a founding member of the TranSouth Athletic Conference (1996) and the preceding Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference (1985). Trevecca's national affiliation has been with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) since 1968. Trevecca now begins its candidacy period with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II. Trevecca recently applied with the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) for postseason play during its transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. The hope is for approval to being NCCAA postseason play during the 2011-2012 season.

History of Trevecca Athletic Directors
Elmer Heaberlin 1967-68 - Fall of 1968
Bill Boner 1968 - 1969-70
Chet Foraker 1971-72
Richard Haynes 1972-73 - 1973-74
Elmore Vail 1974-75 - 1977-78
Bill Green 1978-79
Frank Wilson 1980-81 - 1989-90
Dave Altopp 1990-91 - 1994-95
Lora Donoho 1995-96 - 1996-97
Gary Sharpe 1997-98
Alan Smith 1998-99 - 2006-07
Brenda Patterson 2007 - 2011