Barfield promoted to Associate AD
8/10/2016 2:19:00 PM | Athletics
Sam Houston State has promoted Jason Barfield to Associate Athletic Director for Media Relations. Barfield will be replacing Paul Ridings who is retiring after 27 years at SHSU.
Barfield has worked in the Media Relations department at Sam Houston since 2007 and has been a member of the athletic department since 2005.
“When we have a candidate who is in-house as qualified as Jason, this is a very easy decision to make,” said Director of Athletics Bobby Williams. “Jason has been an integral part of helping our department grow over the last decade, with both his work in media relations as well as the devolvement and growth of the Bearkat Sports Network.”
For the past four years, Barfield has served as the Assistant AD for Media Relations assisting with the promotion of all 17 Bearkat Sports. In addition to the media relations responsibilities, he has overseen the implementation of four new video boards that have been installed at Bowers Stadium, Johnson Coliseum, Don Sanders Stadium and the Bearkat Softball Complex.
In 2008, Barfield started what has now become the Bearkat Sports Network, streaming more than 60 SHSU sporting events live each year. This year, he will oversee the transition to streaming live events for ESPN3.
Barfield has also served as the play-by-play voice for Sam Houston baseball as well as working on the radio broadcasts for football and basketball.
“This is a very exciting step in my growth here with the Sam Houston athletic department,” Barfield said. “I want to thank Bobby Williams for giving me this opportunity to continue to build on our department.
“I also want to give a big thanks to Paul Ridings. He introduced me to this profession as an 18-year old freshman at Sam Houston and then pushed to hire me full time in 2007 in the media relations department. I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for him,” he said.
Barfield graduated from Sam Houston in 2000 with a degree in Radio/Television and a minor in Journalism. While a student Barfield was involved with Channel 7 News as both a sports anchor and sports director. He also called Bearkat football, basketball and baseball games for 90.5 FM and was a member of the sports staff at The Houstonian, the school's student newspaper.
A 1995 graduate of Barbers Hill High School, Barfield and his wife Patty, a 1999 Sam Houston graduate, have two children, daughter Kenna 14 and son Ryan 11.
