Athletic Dept. changes at MTU

Courtesy of MTU Athletics

HOUGHTON, Mich. — Michigan Tech Athletics today announced the hiring of Kate Hagenbuch as its director of NCAA compliance and student-athlete services. The move is part of a larger reorganization within the athletic department effective immediately.

Joel Isaacson, formerly the associate athletic director for NCAA compliance and operations, will now be associate athletic director for external relations. Wes Frahm and Ian Marks, who were part of the University’s Marketing and Communications Department, will now report to athletics.

The reorganization was precipitated by the departure of Jonathan Hamilton, who served as the director of athletic marketing for the last six years.

This is an exciting time for the department,” said athletic director Suzanne Sanregret. “Kate brings a wealth of experience, specifically in the area of student-athlete advising. Our first priority at Michigan Tech is academics, and with Kate’s leadership, we will continue to excel in the classroom and help student-athletes succeed academically and athletically.”

Hagenbuch comes to Tech from Finlandia University, where she held many roles since 2009. She served as academic-athletic coordinator, student-athlete advisory council advisor and men’s and women’s cross country coach within the athletic department and sports marketing instructor within Finlandia’s International School of Business.

Hagenbuch earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Michigan Tech in 2008. She worked as a student in the athletic department and was also a student-athlete on the cross country and track and field teams for four years each.

The Hancock, Mich., attended Ithaca College (N.Y.) and gained a master’s in sport management in 2009. She worked as a graduate assistant in the athletics compliance office at Ithaca for a year and also gained experience volunteering at the Syracuse Athletic Department. She was as an athletic administration intern at Penn State in summer 2009.

“I’m really excited to return to the Michigan Tech family,” said Hagenbuch. “I’m really passionate about student-athlete success on the field but more so off the field. I’m looking forward to my role working with student-athletes to help them be their best.”

One additional change in athletic staffing comes in the area of development. Six-year veteran Steve Nordstrom has left and will be replaced by a familiar face. Randy Heinonen, who started at Michigan Tech in 2006 as director of athletic development before moving to the Michigan Tech Fund as a major gifts officer for five years, will return to a full-time role in athletics.