Sport Management

The Elon alumnus’ passion for “America’s pastime” and flair for storytelling have made him one of the brightest rising voices in professional baseball.

The 2025 Sport Management Internship Forum, held Sept. 29 in Turner Theatre, brought together Elon students to share their summer experiences with organizations across the sport industry, from NBC Universal to the New York Islanders.

The new course, offered by Associate Teaching Professor of Communication Design Randy Piland, blends hands-on projects and flight simulations with discussions about ethics, privacy and the broader impact of drone use.

The assistant professor of sport management explores how the International Volleyball Federation enforced decades of sex testing after the 1972 Olympics – finding no fraud yet reinforcing rigid gender norms that shape current debates on fairness and inclusion.

The Army West Point Athletics staff member – and former sport management major – collaborated with School of Communications faculty members Young Do Kim and Cara Lucia to offer marketing-based strategies, case challenges, and teaching resources to help sports-related organizations meet evolving audience expectations.

The new assistant professor of sport management brings extensive experience as an author, researcher and former department chair.

From the lunch table to a national movement, Christine Cotton G’02 used her Elon MBA to build PORCH Communities into a nonprofit that has provided more than $15 million in hunger relief since 2010.

In AMS 2200: Playing in the USA, Assistant Professor of Sport Management Khirey Walker helps students explore societal issues through sport.

The recent Elon graduate and sport management professor co-published a peer-reviewed study, analyzing attendance factors in the National Women’s Soccer League.

As part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience poster session, held July 24 in Snow Family Grand Atrium, School of Communications students presented research on sports policy, media representation, and community issues.