Who is Tommy McClelland? Purdue athletic director was once youngest AD in NCAA Division I

Purdue has hired Tommy McClelland as its athletic director. The 44-year-old brings more experience than you might expect to the Boilermakers, all of it in the South.

• He was named the full-time AD at McNeese State in 2008 at 26 years old, at the time the youngest D-I AD in the nation.

• Louisiana Tech hired him in 2013 during the school’s transition from Western Athletic Conference to Conference USA.

• Vanderbilt hired him as deputy AD in 2020, overseeing football and athletic department fundraising efforts.

• Rice made him AD in 2023 as the Owls moved to the American Athletic Conference in his first year.

He was named the full-time AD at McNeese State in 2008 at 26 years old, at the time the youngest D-I AD in the nation.

Louisiana Tech hired him in 2013 during the school’s transition from Western Athletic Conference to Conference USA.

Vanderbilt hired him as deputy AD in 2020, overseeing football and athletic department fundraising efforts.

Rice made him AD in 2023 as the Owls moved to the American Athletic Conference in his first year.

2005: Northwestern State (graduate assistant)

2005-06: Southland Conference (intern)

2006-13: McNeese State (coordinator, interim AD and AD)

McClelland played football (long snapper) and track and field (javelin) at Northwestern State in Louisiana from 2000-04.

Wife Jessica (married 2002); teenage sons Lawson and Grayson.

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