WVU Brings Ben Murray Back to School to Serve as Deputy AD

West Virginia University now has a new partner for Wren Baker to help him lead the athletic department. Baker announced that WVU has hired Ben Murray as the school’s deputy athletics director.

Murray, who previously spent time at WVU from 2010-2021 in another role, will return to Morgantown with a focus on being the athletic department’s chief development officer and providing oversight to the Mountaineer Athletic Club (MAC).

Welcome home to Ben Murray, who will serve as deputy athletics director and chief development officer, providing oversight to the @WVU_MAC!

🔗 https://t.co/nEal9eaijD#HailWV pic.twitter.com/CL0D3JeHf5

— WVU Sports (@WVUSports) July 14, 2023

In a press release sent out to the media, WVU described Murray’s role like this: “WVU’s newest deputy athletics director, he will manage, lead and direct all development efforts for athletics, including but not limited to the annual fund, endowments, capital projects and major gifts. He will serve on the senior leadership teams in athletics and the WVU Foundation, with additional sport oversight duties to be determined.”

Baker gave his own thoughts on bringing Murray back to WVU. “I am excited to bring Ben and his family back home to West Virginia,” he said. “In my short time here at WVU, his name has come up with our donors on many occasions as they enjoyed working with him and appreciated his successful tenure. There is no doubt that fundraising is a critical part of our department, and we are entering a critical time financially. It became very clear that Ben Murray was the right person to lead our fundraising efforts and have an expanded role in our department.”

Most recently, Murray served as Nebraska’s senior associate athletics director for development, leading all fundraising initiatives with additional oversight of ticket operations.