Aug. 9, 2004

Fairfax, VA- Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics Tom O'Connor announced today that James "Buzzy" Correll has accepted the position of executive director of the Patriot Club at George Mason University. "We conducted an extensive search and "Buzzy" stood above the rest as our top candidate and someone who will make a great fit at George Mason," said Tom O'Connor. "His credentials are impeccable, and his enthusiasm for collegiate sports and the student-athlete will be invaluable for our athletic program." Correll comes to Mason from North Carolina State University, where he worked at the Wolfpack Club, most recently as the associate director in charge of marketing and operations of donor services, lifetime seating rights, basketball and football tickets, specialty clubs, donor travel and special events. He managed volunteer representatives and all fundraising activities in the mid-Atlantic, New England and selected mid-western states. "I am very excited about joining George Mason athletics and the Patriot Club family," said Correll. "I'm looking forward to getting started and working with the staff and the community to generate resources that enhance Patriot Athletics." He worked with several successful major giving campaigns at NC State in the last 10 years, including the Campaign for NC State Students, an $80 million endowment campaign. The Wolfpack Club's portion of the goal was $7.2 million was shattered with outright and deferred gifts exceeding $22 million. Correll was involved in Goal Line Drive, Advantage Wolfpack and Batter-Up Campaigns, all major giving campaigns to upgrade or build new athletic facilities. Since beginning in 2001, Goal Line Drive has already surpassed its $50 million goal and Batter-Up, a campaign to renovate Doak Field is more than halfway to its $2.5 million goal with $1.5 million in pledges in two years. Advantage Wolfpack helped overhaul NC State's tennis program with a new indoor tennis facility. The Hickory, N.C. native earned both his Bachelor of Arts in Communication and his Master of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management from NC State University. He was a student-athlete earning a varsity letter during the 1990-91 season as he cheered on Wolfpack sports as the mascot. After graduation in 1992, Correll landed his first job in sports, working as the director of community/media relations for the Hickory Crawdads, a minor league baseball team. He was responsible for sales, game day promotions and employee management for the first-year minor league baseball team. James "Buzzy" Correll and his wife Tracy have a one-year old son Carson. Correll begins at Mason on September 15.