DENVER - UT Rio Grande Valley Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Operations Chelsea Blakely has been appointed to the NCAA Women's Volleyball Rules Committee.
“As a former Division I student-athlete, being named to the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Rules Committee is a privilege,†Blakely said. “Volleyball has been an integral part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I'm proud to be among a third generation of women who dedicated themselves to advancing the sport. Serving in this capacity is an honor and I'm excited to give back to the sport that has provided so much opportunity in my life.â€
The eight-member committee is responsible for advancing women's volleyball through its work with rule oversight, implementation and development. Blakely's term begins September 1 and lasts three years. There are four members on the committee from Division I and two apiece from Divisions II and III.
“I'm very proud of Chelsea to be representing UTRGV on an NCAA committee,†UTRGV Director of Athletics Chris King said. “From being a student-athlete to a graduate assistant and now serving as an executive staff member, Chelsea has been an integral part of our department. We are proud to have two of our senior female administrators serving on NCAA committees, including [Senior Associate Athletic Director for Student Services/Senior Woman Administrator] Farrah Manthei on the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Tennis Committee.â€
Blakely has been working with the UTRGV Department of Intercollegiate Athletics since September 2009 and has been serving as Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Operations since July 27, 2015. In her current role, Blakely is responsible for the development and implementation of an external operations plan designed to increase brand awareness, build brand affinity and maximize revenue through integrated marketing and communication strategies and coordinated efforts that enhance the fan experience.
Blakely helped to lead the department through a successful rebrand with the transition from legacy institutions The University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA) and The University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB) to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley during the summer of 2015. This process involved cohesion and motivation between creative agencies, licensing firms and service providers to oversee a complete rebrand that included new logos, facilities presentation, digital and social media platforms and merchandise, including the updating of graphics and signage in facilities as well as rebranding the athletic department in the community. Blakely accomplished this rebrand through oversight of the department's advertising campaigns and marketing and promotional materials to ensure consistent messaging across all media including broadcast, print, outdoor, digital and social media. For their efforts, Blakely and her team were recognized with honorable mention in the National Associate of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) 2016 Marketing Team of the Year Award competition.
As the sport administrator for volleyball, Blakely served as the Tournament Director for the 2017 WAC Tournament. She oversees a UTRGV volleyball program that has made back-to-back WAC Tournament championship match appearances, including a victory that led to the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016.
She has taken part in numerous continuing education opportunities, including the 2017-18 DI-AAA ADA Mentoring Program. She also attended the 2018 ICLA Winter Symposium, the 2017 Collegiate Athletics Leadership Symposium and the 2017 Learfield Licensing Partners Regional Educational Summit.
Blakely played for the UTPA volleyball team from 2005-2008, nearly doubling the program's all-time assists record with 3,905. She is also second all-time in assists per set (9.21) and service aces (153), while ranking fifth in service aces per set (0.36) and eighth in digs (1,072).
Blakely graduated from UTPA with a bachelor's degree in business administration in marketing in 2009 before earning her MBA in marketing in 2011.