Brian Faison is in his fifth year as athletics director at the University of North Dakota. Faison assumed his duties at UND in May of 2008.
In leading UND Athletics through the Division I transition, alumni and fan support have continued to grow: Champions Club and endowment giving have enjoyed a sixth straight record year; volleyball had a third record-breaking season at the turnstile, while women’s and men’s hockey both finished second in the nation in home average attendance.
Competitively, UND teams again enjoyed outstanding seasons resulting in two conference regular season championships, four conference post-season tournaments championships, three All-Americans, a national coach of the year, a record third consecutive Broadmoor Trophy, a national player of the year finalist and a second place finish in the all-sports standings of the Great West Conference.
In the classroom, student-athletes continued their tradition of academic excellence: a record number of student-athletes were named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for the fall and spring semesters; women’s basketball, women’s swimming and diving, women’s golf and men’s and women’s track and field all recognized nationally for their academic performance, two student-athletes were named Academic All-Americans and one student-athlete received a prestigious NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship (the program’s 34th recipient).
Faison helped secure membership in the Big Sky Conference for 14 of UND's sports. Competition begins this school year. And, he played a leadership role in the formation of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), joining Colorado College, Denver, Miami, Minnesota Duluth, St. Cloud State, Western Michigan and Nebraska Omaha. Conference play begins in 2013-14.
Prior to joining UND, Faison served as special assistant to the president (2004-08) and director of athletics (1999-04) at New Mexico State University. Before that, he served as the national director of development for the National Children’s Cancer Society (1995-1999). Faison gained experience in Division I administration as the director of athletics at Indiana State University (1988-1995), assistant athletics director for development at the University of Louisville (1984-1988) and assistant athletics director for promotions and fund raising at Illinois State University (1979-1984). He also had stints as the assistant manager for athletic public relations at the University of Missouri (1978-1979) and assistant director for alumni activities at the University of Missouri (1974-1978).
Faison received his bachelor’s degree in 1972 from the University of Missouri and is also a 1997 graduate of the National Planned Giving Institute.
Faison and his wife, Donna, have three sons: Jonathan, Matthew and Bradley.
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