COLUMBUS, OH - Will Pantages has joined Ohio State Athletics as Senior Associate Athletic Director for Football Strategic Communications. He will oversee all aspects of football media relations, strategic messaging and public relations planning, and will set the tone and direction for how the program is presented to local, national and global audiences. He will also lead the Creative Media and Branding football team.
Pantages comes to Columbus after six years as Senior Associate AD for Communications & Content at Wake Forest University. While there, he provided strategic leadership and direction for communications, fan experience and campus partnerships and creative services for all 18 sports. He also served as the primary communications contact for the Wake Forest football program.
"We are excited to add Will to our Buckeye team," said Chris Park, Executive Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs and Chief Communications Officer. "He has tremendous passion, enthusiasm and vision for his work in the communications and creative space and his experience as a high-level thought leader within college football will be valuable in this new role around our Ohio State Football program."
Before joining Wake Forest, Pantages spent four seasons at the University of Florida, where he served as associate director of athletics communications and digital content. He was the primary media contact for the Gators' football program, working directly with UF assistant coaches, student-athletes and assisting with requests for Dan Mullen, Jim McElwain and Randy Shannon. In addition, he oversaw three content creators, served as social media manager for all football social media accounts, managed the department's general and football content calendars and assisted with staff organization and hiring to his superiors.
Pantages also spent the 2013-14 athletic season at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he held various positions with the football and men's basketball programs.
"It is a privilege to join The Ohio State University," said Pantages. "I am excited to work with an outstanding team to highlight all of our student-athletes' achievements and further develop one of the most respected brands in college athletics."
A native of Akron, Ohio, Pantages completed his bachelor's degree in communications and economics from Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio in 2013. While there, he played baseball as a catcher during his freshman season and then pitched for the Yellow Jackets in 2011, '12 and '13, while also working year-round in the sports information department.
A new communication structure
Chris Park was hired in January as Executive Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs and Chief Communications Officer. Park leads the department's external communications strategies, marketing, brand engagement, media relations and strategic storytelling efforts that expand Ohio State's mission and impact in regional, national and global markets.
Gary Petit who has been a member of the Ohio State Athletics Communications office since 2014, will lead the communications unit and oversee all non-football communications strategies. Petit also serves as the primary communications contact for the men's basketball program.
In addition to Pantages' recruitments, Mike Basford will continue to guide media relations for the football program. Basford has played at Ohio State since 2013 and has spent the past nine seasons with the football program. He has been instrumental in working with the student-athletes, assistant coaches and head coach Ryan Day, as well as in all other facets of promoting the program.