The Times Free Press has learned that Penn State associate athletic director Mark Wharton has accepted the position of athletic director at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He replaces David Blackburn, who resigned in June.
There will be a press conference on Wednesday at 2 at the University Center to introduce Wharton.
He comes to UTC with close to 20 years of experience working in athletic departments, having spent time at UNC-Asheville, James Madison, UNLV and East Carolina before joining the Penn State staff in 2013.
He spent eight years as the Major Gifts Assistant Athletic Director at East Carolina, the first six as the executive director of the Pirate Club. At Penn State, he supervised the Nittany Lion Club, which has more than 22,000 members who provide financial support to Penn State athletics and its 800-plus student-athletes. He was named associate director of athletics for the Nittany Lion Club in March of 2015.
Wharton is a 1993 graduate of East Carolina, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Leisure Systems Studies. He has familiarity to East Tennessee as well, having received his Masters of Science at the University of Tennessee in 1995.
For a full story, read Wednesday’s Times Free Press.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.