By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
Missouri Western athletics announced Friday the hiring of Ryan Menley as senior associate athletic director for external relations.
Menley previously served as the director of creative content for MWSU athletics from 2010-2022.
Menley will oversee marketing, communications and content in his new role. He'll also serve as the primary contact for the Gold Coat Victory Fund.
"The chance to return to Griffon Nation in this particular position is an absolute honor," Menley said in a written statement. "It's a humbling opportunity, especially when you consider the character of the people who came before."
"Excited is an understatement," MWSU athletic director Andy Carter said. "Ryan is a gifted and talented storyteller. His ability to communicate and grow the Griffon brand in various ways makes his return to St. Joseph a huge win for us. His love for and dedication to Missouri Western State University and Griffon Athletics makes this homecoming a special one."
Menley returns to Missouri Western after spending the last two years as associate A.D. of external relations at Division I University of Tennessee-Martin.
At UTM, he oversaw sports information, ESPN + broadcasting, creative content and athletics branding. He also served as the coordinator for special events.
A St. Louis native, Menley called St. Joseph home for 20 years and covered Missouri Western athletics that whole time. He was the sports director for KQTV from 2002-2010.
Once he joined MWSU, Menley created the university's athletic video production department from scratch. The "Griffon Sports Insider" brand included in-depth highlights, commercials and features. At the time, the department was one of the first of its kind at the NCAA Division II level.
Menley also oversaw the development of video board production and live broadcasts. He was an adjunct professor in the university's department of communications and a co-advisor for MWSU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, helping raise thousands of dollars for community service projects.
In the span of seven years, Menley won six National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) awards. He was the 2020-21 Service to the University Award winner at Missouri Western and was also the university's SOAR Advisor of the Year that same year.
He was also an Emmy winner during his time at KQ.
"I have a deep appreciation for our history," Menley continued. "Our athletic department and sports teams are riding a wave of momentum in the present. When tied together, it lights the way toward a bright future. Our job in external relations is to engage and ignite. We will communicate by collaboration. We will celebrate our success with passion. And we will tell our collective story with authenticity."
Menley will begin his duties on March 1. He fills a role that was left vacant after Paul Smith stepped down from the associate A.D. of external relations role this past December. Smith held the job for 16 months.
