Murray State University Athletics
Derek Doolittle Named Assistant Vice President & Deputy AD/Chief Operating Officer
8/4/2026 10:55:00 AM | General
Doolittle previously served as General Manager of the Rose Bowl prior to joining the Racers
Vice President & Director of Athletics Nico Yantko has announced the hiring of seasoned athletics professional and visionary operational mind Derek Doolittle as Assistant Vice President & Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Operating Officer for Murray State Athletics.
Â
Doolittle joins the Racers following an accomplished career in collegiate athletics and most recently as the General Manager of the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California.
Â
In this role, Doolittle will oversee the day-to-day operations of Murray State Athletics and work closely with Yantko and the athletics executive team to continue advancing the department's long-term vision and support Murray State's continued growth during a transformational era of college athletics.
Â
"Derek is an accomplished leader with an exceptional track record of leading complex operations and building successful teams, and his experience at the Rose Bowl uniquely positions us to accelerate our vision of building the nation's most innovative athletics department and entertainment enterprise," Vice President & Director of Athletics Nico Yantko said. "He embodies our core values of respect, innovation, service and excellence and will be instrumental as we continue to drive this modern athletics model to create year-round value for our student-athletes, fans, partners, and the entire region. We are thrilled to welcome Derek and Jenna to Murray."
Â
During his tenure as General Manager of the Rose Bowl Stadium, Doolittle oversaw one of the most recognizable venues in the world, overseeing the annual Rose Bowl Game, College Football Playoff games, international soccer matches, concerts and numerous community events.
Â
He provided executive leadership for operations, capital improvements, and strategic planning while collaborating with public officials, community partners and international and domestic event organizers.
Â
"Jenna and I are honored to join Murray State Athletics and become part of a department with such tremendous momentum," Doolittle said. "The vision that Nico and President Patterson have established for Racer Athletics is inspiring, and it is clear there is a deep commitment to student-athlete success, innovation and championship excellence. I look forward to working alongside the outstanding coaches and staff to continue building on that momentum to create sustainable success for what will be a bright future."
Â
Prior to his leadership at the Rose Bowl, Doolittle built a distinguished career in collegiate athletics with stops at both UCLA and Missouri, developing expertise in operations, capital project oversight, and organizational leadership.
Â
Throughout his career, he has earned a reputation for building collaborative teams, enhancing operational efficiency and delivering first-class experiences for student-athletes, fans and external stakeholders.
Â
Doolittle began his career as a graduate associate in the Springfield College (Mass.) Athletic Department. While at Springfield, Doolittle held a multitude of responsibilities relating to event management, marketing, compliance, media relations and merchandising.
Â
A native of Binghamton, New York, Doolittle holds his Bachelor Degree in Sport Management from Cazenovia College and a Masters in Athletic Administration from Springfield College (Mass.). He will reside in Murray with his wife Jenna.
Â
Murray State Athletics has raised $52.75 million dollars in support of new facilities, initiatives and championship resources as part of the department's bold, comprehensive $100 million fundraising campaign, Leading The Pack, which was created to further position itself for the future by investing in student-athlete success and wellness, revenue share and competitive resources and world-class facilities.
Â
Learn more about how you can support the campaign by clicking HERE.
Â
Follow the Racers on X (@MSURacers), Instagram (@RacersAthletics) and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Murray State Athletics.
Â
Â
Doolittle joins the Racers following an accomplished career in collegiate athletics and most recently as the General Manager of the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California.
Â
In this role, Doolittle will oversee the day-to-day operations of Murray State Athletics and work closely with Yantko and the athletics executive team to continue advancing the department's long-term vision and support Murray State's continued growth during a transformational era of college athletics.
Â
"Derek is an accomplished leader with an exceptional track record of leading complex operations and building successful teams, and his experience at the Rose Bowl uniquely positions us to accelerate our vision of building the nation's most innovative athletics department and entertainment enterprise," Vice President & Director of Athletics Nico Yantko said. "He embodies our core values of respect, innovation, service and excellence and will be instrumental as we continue to drive this modern athletics model to create year-round value for our student-athletes, fans, partners, and the entire region. We are thrilled to welcome Derek and Jenna to Murray."
Â
During his tenure as General Manager of the Rose Bowl Stadium, Doolittle oversaw one of the most recognizable venues in the world, overseeing the annual Rose Bowl Game, College Football Playoff games, international soccer matches, concerts and numerous community events.
Â
He provided executive leadership for operations, capital improvements, and strategic planning while collaborating with public officials, community partners and international and domestic event organizers.
Â
"Jenna and I are honored to join Murray State Athletics and become part of a department with such tremendous momentum," Doolittle said. "The vision that Nico and President Patterson have established for Racer Athletics is inspiring, and it is clear there is a deep commitment to student-athlete success, innovation and championship excellence. I look forward to working alongside the outstanding coaches and staff to continue building on that momentum to create sustainable success for what will be a bright future."
Â
Prior to his leadership at the Rose Bowl, Doolittle built a distinguished career in collegiate athletics with stops at both UCLA and Missouri, developing expertise in operations, capital project oversight, and organizational leadership.
Â
Throughout his career, he has earned a reputation for building collaborative teams, enhancing operational efficiency and delivering first-class experiences for student-athletes, fans and external stakeholders.
Â
Doolittle began his career as a graduate associate in the Springfield College (Mass.) Athletic Department. While at Springfield, Doolittle held a multitude of responsibilities relating to event management, marketing, compliance, media relations and merchandising.
Â
A native of Binghamton, New York, Doolittle holds his Bachelor Degree in Sport Management from Cazenovia College and a Masters in Athletic Administration from Springfield College (Mass.). He will reside in Murray with his wife Jenna.
Â
Murray State Athletics has raised $52.75 million dollars in support of new facilities, initiatives and championship resources as part of the department's bold, comprehensive $100 million fundraising campaign, Leading The Pack, which was created to further position itself for the future by investing in student-athlete success and wellness, revenue share and competitive resources and world-class facilities.
Â
Learn more about how you can support the campaign by clicking HERE.
Â
Follow the Racers on X (@MSURacers), Instagram (@RacersAthletics) and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Murray State Athletics.
Â
Friday, May 22
Saturday, February 28
Friday, February 27
Friday, February 27
