Shaun May named new Athletic Comm. director

Ex-Coast Guard S.I.D. replaces departed Hurlbut Shaun May was appointed the new director of Athletic Communications by the University in July. May joined the Athletic Department after spending eight years as the sports information director at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn. He took over the position formerly held by Brad Hurlbut, who left to take a job at Northwestern University in early April. "It's a great opportunity," May said over the summer. "The school itself has the best kids -- academically and athletically. I'm impressed with everything so far." May, a 1984 graduate of the University of Rhode Island, held several positions in media relations before going to the Coast Guard Academy, including: the director of publicity for the Freedom Football Conference; the director of public relations for the Rhode Island Gulls of the Continental Basketball Association; and assistant sports information director at the University of Rhode Island. May's primary contacts at Penn will be football and baseball, but he will also be in charge of coordinating other sports. The Williamsburg, Va., native was excited at the prospect of working in a Division I athletic program. "The biggest difference between Division I and Division III is the support staff," he said. "At the Academy, I was the one-man Sports Information department. "Here, we have two student interns and student help in addition to our own marketing and development. It's great -- just a few minutes ago the phone was ringing and I didn't have to pick it up. Someone else did."