On Monday, Lindenwood Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics, Jason Coomer announced the elevation of two staff members to the role of Assistant Athletic Director. Mike Barone, Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Customer Service, and Austin Holtgrieve, Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Game and Event Operations, will begin their new roles effective immediately.
 
Barone has served as the Director of Athletics Marketing at Lindenwood since the fall of 2019 and has been a member of the department in various capacities dating back to the fall of 2015. Since assuming his role within Athletics Marketing, Barone and Lindenwood have received national recognition by winning six NACMA "Best Of" Awards. Barone is currently responsible for the marketing and promotion of Lindenwood's 30 NCAA programs with a focus on attendance and community engagement opportunities.
 
"Mike is a true professional in every sense and is a critical member of our team," said Coomer.  "Not only has he earned the respect of his peers both on campus and nationally, he continues to make each one of us better here at Lindenwood.  In addition, the exposure he has generated for our department this year has been a big reason for the increased attendance across the board."
 
Holtgrieve is currently in his eighth year as a member of the Athletic Event Operations staff and was promoted to his most recent position of Director of Athletic Event Operations in January of 2020. Holtgrieve and his staff, consisting of full-time and student employees, oversee the operations for Lindenwood's NCAA programs. In addition to his Event Operations responsibilities, Holtgrieve plays an integral role in the department's facility, scheduling, equipment, and concession departments.
 
"We are very fortunate to have Austin in our department as his passion is evident and his work ethic serves as a great example for all of those who interact with him on a daily basis," added Coomer of Holtgrieve.  "It was very clear to me after arriving at Lindenwood that our game day operations were executed at a very high level which is a testament to the attention to detail that Austin places on providing the best team and fan experience."