Female empowerment at Notre Dame football not about ‘publicity,’ Marcus Freeman says

SOUTH BEND — As Vice President Kamala Harris bids to make history on the campaign trail, Notre Dame football recently bestowed a pair of notable promotions to Black women in the male-dominated world of college football.

In mid-July, Olivia Mitchell was named assistant athletic director for football operations and Zaire Turner was named director of player personnel.

“I think it gives us an edge because they’re really good at their jobs,” Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman said Wednesday. “This wasn’t a decision that was to create publicity. It wasn’t to do anything but to promote two people that really give us an advantage to have the best football program we (can).

“Olivia has done a terrific job and deserved her promotion, and the same thing with Zaire. She’s going to do a wonderful job as our director of player personnel.”

Mitchell, a 2016 Notre Dame graduate with a degree in marketing, spent the previous four years as football operations director for the Irish and has worked in football operations for her alma mater since April 2017. She previously held internships with the College Football Playoff, Athletes First and the NFL’s Chicago Bears.

Turner, a 2016 Texas Tech graduate, was hired in June 2022 as Notre Dame’s director of recruiting operations. She worked in the recruiting office at Virginia Tech from 2018-20, and her LinkedIn bio also notes a position as operations coordinator during that period.

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Turner then spent nearly two years in the Dallas area working for health care and marketing companies before being hired at Notre Dame.

“We’re just grateful to have them here, have them a part of our staff and to be able to keep them,” Freeman said. “They’re going to be a vital part…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/female-empowerment-notre-dame-football-184922123.html

Author : South Bend Tribune

Publish date : 2024-07-31 18:49:22

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