University of Memphis Athletics
Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Director of Basketball Operations
- Email:
- msbstian@memphis.edu
- Phone:
- 901-678-2346
Overall
• In his seventh season at the NCAA Division I level in 2015-16
• Prior to Memphis, worked in the NBA’s Denver Nuggets media relations department for 15 seasons (1994-2009)
• Of those 15 seasons in Denver, spent the last six years (2003-09) as the Nuggets media relations director
Responsibilities
• Handles program’s external and internal operations
• Organizes several of the Tigers community outreach events throughout the year
• Also taught a class, Chronology of Sport, in the University’s Sport and Leisure Department in the fall of 2011
Memphis Director Of Operations (2009-present)
• Member of the Tigers staff that posted 148 wins (148-58 record) in the first six seasons
• The 148 victories are tied for the most by a staff in a head coach’s first six years in school history
• The 148 victories are the ninth-most by a staff in a head coach’s first six years in NCAA Division I history
• Member of the Tigers staff when the program transitioned to the American Athletic Conference in 2013-14 from Conference USA in 2012-13
• Won 20 or more games five of the six seasons, including 31 victories in 2012-13
• Earned postseason berths five of the six seasons (2010 NIT; 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 NCAA)
• The NCAA berths from 2011-14 was only the third time in program history the Tigers made four-straight NCAA Tournaments (1982-86, 2006-09, 2011-14)
• Tigers won two Conference USA regular-season titles (2011-12, 2012-13) and three Conference USA Tournament crowns (2011, 2012, 2013)
• In the program’s first season in the American Athletic Conference, Tigers posted a 24-10 overall record and a 12-6 league mark
• In 2014-15, Memphis went 18-14 overall and 10-8 in the American Athletic Conference
• The double-digit league wins in 2014-15 (10-8 record) marked the 10th-consecutive season the Tigers won 10 or more games in conference play
• In 2012-13, Tigers went 31-5 overall and 16-0 in Conference USA
• The 30-win season was only the sixth in school history, and the 31 wins are tied for the fifth-most in the program’s history
• The unblemished 16-0 league record was the Tigers’ fourth in seven seasons (2007-13)
• Memphis swept the C-USA regular-season and tournament titles for the sixth time in the last eight seasons in 2012-13
• The Tigers earned an NCAA Tournament berth and advanced to the “Big Dance’s” third round
• In 2011-12, Memphis won both the Conference USA regular season (13-3 league mark) and tournament championships and earned an NCAA Tournament berth
• In 2010-11, Memphis recorded a 25-10 record and won the C-USA Tournament held in El Paso, the program’s first league tournament crown outside the Bluff City since 1987
• The Tigers put together a magical ride in the 2011 conference tournament, winning the title with a thrilling 67-66 victory over UTEP on the Miners’ homecourt
• In his first season in 2009-10, Tigers posted a 24-10 overall record and received a National Invitation Tournament (NIT) berth
NBA Denver Nuggets Media Relations (1994-2009)
• Worked in the Denver Nuggets media relations department from 1994-2009, including a six-year stint (2003-09) as the department's director
• In his tenure as Denver's media relations director, worked with Nuggets head coach George Karl and NBA All-Stars Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson
• Directed several successful campaigns for players receiving NBA All-Star and All-NBA honors, including Marcus Camby who earned the 2006-07 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award
• Also worked on statistical projects for the Nuggets coaches and management and assisted in the process of free agent recruiting
• Part of the Nuggets' resurgence from 2003-04 through 2008-09, as Denver won 40 or more games each of those six seasons
• Denver averaged nearly 48 wins per year over that stretch and also made NBA playoff appearances all six season
• His final campaign in Denver (2008-09) was an historic one for the organization
• Nuggets won a then franchise-record 54 games (54-28 record; eclipsed by 2012-13 team's 57 wins), claimed a share of the NBA Northwest Division title and earned the Western Conference No. 2 seed in the playoffs
• Denver advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1985
• Billups and Anthony were named to the All-NBA third team, and Billups played in the NBA All-Star Game
Dallas Cowboys/World Cup (1994)
• Prior to joining the NBA, served as an intern in the Dallas Cowboys media relations office and men's World Cup organization
Personal
• Columbus, Ohio, native
• Graduated from SMU with a bachelor's degree in public relations in 1994 degree
• Earned his master's degree in sport and leisure commerce from Memphis in 2013
• Married to the former Natalie Witt
• Has two sons, Kade and Braxton
