LOGAN, Utah – Utah State Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs Brent Beerends announced the hiring of Derek Fryar as the Aggies' new Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing and Fan Experience.
In his role, Fryar will oversee Utah State Athletics' marketing, promotions and fan experience efforts, developing and implementing strategic initiatives designed to increase attendance and revenue while enhancing the overall game-day experience for Aggie fans.
"I'm excited to have Derek join our team, as he will be a valuable addition to our efforts to enhance the experience at Utah State athletic events," said Beerends. "His background and knowledge of Cache Valley will be instrumental as we continue to elevate our marketing and fan experience efforts and create engaging experiences that reflect what Aggie Athletics is all about."
Fryar comes to Utah State following four years in the Big 12, Pac-12, and Big Sky Conferences, most recently serving as the Assistant Director of Marketing & Fan Experience at the University of Utah from 2023-26. With the Utes, he served as the primary marketing lead and director for men's basketball and softball, while also serving as the primary on-field stage manager for football.
"As someone who grew up just 30 minutes north of Logan, Utah State has always held a special place in my heart," said Fryar. "Throughout my life, I've loved seeing the rich culture of athletics that has been built here, and I couldn't be more excited to be part of continuing to grow it.
"Thank you to Director of Athletics Cameron Walker, Brent Beerends, and the entire Utah State Athletic Department staff for welcoming me with open arms and placing their confidence in me. It feels great to be back home in Cache Valley and officially part of the Aggie family!"
At Utah, Fryar coordinated in-game activations, including the pregame Tunnel Walk and Moment of Loudness, and oversaw the recruitment, training and development of the department's student intern program. He led a team of 18-25 interns and coordinated their scheduling across 16 sports. Fryar also served as a liaison between Utah Athletics and numerous campus organizations and coordinated digital signage throughout campus and athletics facilities.
Prior to joining Utah, Fryar spent the 2022-23 academic year as the Assistant Director of Marketing & Fan Engagement at the University of Northern Colorado. There, he served as the primary marketing lead for men's basketball and football and developed strategic marketing plans for football, volleyball, soccer, men's basketball, wrestling and baseball.
During his time at Northern Colorado, Fryar also oversaw the recruitment, training and development of the department's student intern program, growing the program from three interns to 18 during the fall semester. He also worked with campus groups and student engagement initiatives designed to increase attendance and enhance the game-day atmosphere.
Fryar also has experience serving as the men's basketball marketing showrunner for the Big Sky Conference Championships in 2022 and 2023. In that role, he directed all men's basketball games during the conference tournament, developing game scripts, timing sheets and public address reads.
His career in collegiate athletics began with internships at Idaho State and Utah State. Fryar served as a Marketing & Fan Engagement Intern at Utah State from May 2020 through February 2021, assisting with in-game promotions, market research and fan engagement initiatives.
Fryar earned his master's degree in physical education with an emphasis in athletic administration from Idaho State in 2022 after earning his bachelor's degree in physical education with a sport management emphasis from Idaho State in 2021.
