Winstead and McCann Set to Join Cajuns Staff

University of Louisiana Director of Athletics Scott Farmer announced Wednesday the hiring of Ken Winstead as Senior Associate Athletic Director and Brian McCann as Sports Information Director.

Their hiring is pending approval by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors.

Winstead fills the position vacated by Farmer when he was appointed Interim Director of Athletics in January 2011 prior to being named Director of Athletics in October 2011. Farmer served as Senior Associate AD from August 2007-December 2010.

Winstead comes to Louisiana from Colorado State University where he had been serving as Assistant Development Director since 2009.

“I'm so excited to join the UL family and live in such a special community,” Winstead said. “I look forward to teaming with an outstanding group of coaches, staff and supporters in enhancing opportunities for our student athletes. So much has already been accomplished. It's going to be a great ride for everyone involved with the Ragin' Cajuns.”

Prior to CSU, Winstead was Associate Athletic Director for Fund Development at the University of Washington from 1998-2008. He oversaw operations of the Tyee Development Office, Big "W" Club and ticket offices and also assisted in fundraising opportunities and capital development.

Winstead helped to direct Washington's "Campaign for the Student-Athlete," which included a $100 million upgrade of five athletic facilities. The effort funded a major renovation of the basketball arena, construction of indoor and outdoor practice facilities and the construction of a combined crew house/academic services facility.

Before arriving in Washington, Winstead was the Director of Development for USA Wrestling, where he coordinated a $10 million major gift campaign. He was Associate Athletics Director at the University of Houston from 1994 to 1997, and oversaw the department's development, marketing, broadcasting and sports information departments.

Winstead was an Associate Athletics Director at the University of Oregon from 1986 to 1993 and oversaw external operations. He created the Oregon Sports Network in addition to working with capital improvements and fundraising efforts.

Winstead began his career in intercollegiate athletics an Assistant Athletics Director for Development at Georgia Southern from 1982 to 1986.

Winstead received his bachelor's and master's degree from Ohio University in 1980 and 1981, respectively. He has two children, Alex and Sydney.

McCann replaces Daryl Cetnar who joined Lafayette General Medical Center in October 2011 as Director of Community Relations after serving as SID since August 2001.

A veteran of 20-plus years in collegiate athletic public relations, McCann is a native of Lakewood, Ohio and a 1986 graduate of Bowling Green State University. He spent the previous eight athletics seasons at Cleveland State University where he was hired as Director of Athletic Communications in July 2003 and promoted to Assistant AD for Communications in January 2006.

"I want to thank Director of Athletics Scott Farmer and President Dr. Savoie for the opportunity to join the Louisiana family,” McCann remarked. “The recent growth of the University and the athletic resurgence that it has recently enjoyed has made it a great time to be a Ragin' Cajuns fan and I look forward to being part of that success."

At CSU, McCann served as primary media spokesman and contact for men's basketball and several Olympic sports. He coordinated a 21-month process of creating new athletic marks for CSU Athletics and worked with campus School of Communication to create The Vikings Basketball Report, a weekly half-hour television show.

McCann also coordinated a total redesign of athletics media publications and utilized video, blogs, photo galleries and links pertaining to CSU athletics to increase traffic on the athletic website by 49 percent in page views and 68 percent in unique visitors during the 2010-11 basketball months.

Prior to his arrival in Cleveland, McCann recently served as Associate Sports Information Director at the University of Cincinnati for eight years (1995-2003). During his time with the Bearcats he served as the primary media contact for football and assisted in the production of the football and men's basketball coach's television and radio shows.

McCann launched his career in intercollegiate athletics as an Assistant Sports Information Director at Cleveland State during the 1986-87 season before leaving to become Associate SID at New Mexico State University, a position he held for eight years.

He has served as the media coordinator for numerous NCAA Championship events most recently the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball second and third round games in Cleveland. McCann also served as media coordinator for the 2007 Women's Basketball Final Four, 2006 NCAA Women's Basketball Cleveland Regional and the 2005 NCAA Men's Basketball First & Second round games.

In 2003, he received the CoSIDA Academic All-America program's Lester Jordan Award for contributions made to the program. McCann worked as district coordinator from 1987-91 and 2006-08, national coordinator from 1991-94 and national vice chair from 1994-2005.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Winstead and McCann Set to Join Cajuns Staff

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