April 24, 2003

FAIRFAX, VA ... George Mason University Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Tom O'Connor has announced the addition of Todd Hairston to the Intercollegiate Athletics Department staff. Hairston will hold the position of Compliance Officer, and he officially began his duties on Wednesday, April 23.

Hairston, 28, comes to George Mason after serving nearly two years as the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, MD. He was responsible for the monitoring of student-athlete recruitment, initial and continuing eligibility, and financial aid. He will have the same responsibilities in his position at George Mason.

"We are happy to have someone with Todd's extensive background in compliance join our department," said O'Connor. "We feel he has a bright future and is a quality addition to the George Mason athletics family."

A 1996 graduate of Wake Forest University with a B.S. degree in health and sports science, Hairston also holds a master's degree in public health from Meharry (TN) Medical College. He was a graduate assistant at Florida State University from January 2000 to August 2001, serving as an academic mentor and an assistant in the Compliance Office. Hairston currently is pursuing a doctorate in sport administration from Florida State, and is expected to complete his degree requirements this May.

A native of Walnut Cove, NC, Hairston is a 1992 graduate of South Stokes High School and played on the varsity tennis team. He and his wife, Kristen, reside in Bowie, MD.