USF Names New Athletic Director

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Blaylock has more than 20 years of experience working in the athletics programs of large state universities, including University of Kansas, University of Arizona, and, most recently, as executive deputy athletic director at Oregon State University.

He has expertise in creating a supportive environment for student-athletes through collaborative leadership teamed with a commitment to strong fundraising. Blaylock will help guide USF in the world of name, image, and likeness (NIL) funding in athletics and will provide strategic leadership on recruiting at a time when the NCAA transfer portal has fundamentally transformed university athletics across the country, said President Salvador D. Aceves ’83, EdD ’95.

“I look forward to working with Brent to accelerate USF’s national reputation as one of the top Jesuit powerhouses, with a storied legacy of athletes dating back to the ’51 Dons football team and the back-to-back national champion basketball teams in 1955 and 1956, led by Bill Russell,” said President Aceves.

“Together, we will elevate USF Athletics through increased philanthropic engagement, expanded revenue, and by providing outstanding experiences for student-athletes, staff, donors, and fans,” Aceves said.

At Oregon State University, Blaylock led the Athletics Department’s operational budget process and internal operations, including student-athlete development, diversity and inclusion, compliance and governance, and capital projects. He also led performance and competitiveness initiatives, which were reflected in increases in the number of OSU teams making postseason appearances and conference championships. 

Prior to that, at the University of Arizona from 2017–24, Blaylock led the sports administration program and had oversight of team operations across all 22 sports to ensure program support in finance, personnel, and operations. Blaylock was a member of the Arizona Athletics leadership team with responsibilities that included building and leading The Arizona EDGE program for NIL fundraising. He also was instrumental in hiring coaches and overseeing the internal operations of the department.

"I am honored to lead the University of San Francisco Athletics Department during this transformative period for college athletics,” Blaylock said. “I am thankful for the confidence that President Aceves and the Board of Trustees have placed in me and for their unwavering commitment to student-athletes. I look forward to expanding upon the university's culture of excellence and supporting the performance of our student-athletes and coaches, as well as taking advantage of new opportunities for growth and success.”

In his new role at USF, Brent will lead a department with 250 student-athletes, 14 head coaches, and 22 assistant coaches.

Blaylock graduated from the University of North Carolina with a management degree and minor in coaching education. He holds a master’s degree in sport management from the University of Texas and an MBA from the University of Arizona. He and his wife, Kate, and their 7-year-old son, Jack, will be joining the USF community. 

Aceves also thanked Stephanie Shrieve-Hawkins, who served as interim athletic director.

“Having stepped into this role during a period of loss for our community, Stephanie provided steady, capable leadership marked by thoughtful decision-making and a deep commitment to our student-athletes, coaches, and staff,” Aceves said. “Her guidance has been instrumental in helping the department move forward with purpose, and we are both grateful and fortunate to have her at USF.”

Shrieve-Hawkins is deputy athletic director for administration and facilities.

Blaylock said he is excited to start working with student-athletes, staff, donors and the San Francisco community.

“This program is well-positioned to be bold, forward-thinking, and adaptive, while honoring the university's rich athletic and Jesuit traditions,” Blaylock said.