DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Drake University Department of Athletics recently made six new hires to strengthen its personnel. Joining Drake Athletics over the past few weeks are Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations Tim Tesar, PhD., Associate Athletics Director of Finance & Operations Jay Brummel, Assistant Athletics Director of Facilities, Events & Operations James Ericson, Assistant Director of Game Operations Corben Mears, Director of Athletic Communications Danny Frey and Assistant Director of Athletic Communications Anne Hirschfeld.

An experienced fundraiser, Tesar '06,'14 shifts from the advancement office where he served as Drake University's Advancement Officer since October of 2017. Prior to returning to his alma mater, Tesar had admissions roles for Simpson (2016-17), Iowa State (2011-16), Valparaiso (2010-11) and Columbia (2008-10). This will not be Tesar's first foray in athletics having served as a Championships & Communications Assistant for the Mountain West Conference in 2006 before becoming Coordinator of International Games for the International Olympic Committee from 2006-08. While earning his bachelor's degree in public relations at Drake, Tesar assisted the Drake Athletics marketing department. Tesar also holds a master's degree in in Adult Learning & Organizational Performance before achieving his PhD in Educational Leadership from Iowa State in 2019.

Brummel returns to his home state of Iowa after spending 2014-20 with the Michigan Athletic Department in a variety of roles. He started with the Wolverines as an Event Management Coordinator before taking positions as Guest Relations Coordinator & Event Manager, Event Manager & Camp Administrator, Assistant Director of Event Management until landing into his most recent role of Crisler Center & William Davidson Player Development Facility Manager. Before Michigan, Brummel was in the Indiana Athletic Department from 2013-14 as an Assistant Game Manager while earning his master's degree in Athletic Administration. Brummel played football at fellow Pioneer Football League member, Butler and graduated with his bachelor's degree in 2013.

Ericson brings a vast amount of event management experience to Drake. He was the Director of Athletics Event Management at former Missouri Valley Conference member, Wichita State, from 2005-07. Ericson's next stop was Ohio State Athletics as the Assistant Director of Event Management from 2007-13. Following his time in Columbus, Ericson joined Northern Illinois Athletics as the Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing & Game Experience. After working outside of the Athletics field for a stretch, Ericson was named Director of Facilities & Game Operations for Arkansas-Little Rock Athletics in October of 2019, a position he held until his hiring at Drake. Ericson graduated from the University of Iowa in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in Sport Administration/Commercial Recreation.
 
Mears joins the Drake Athletics staff after working in the William Penn Athletic Operations Department over the past two years, which included game set up, football stadium maintenance and managing interns. From May-August of 2021, Mears completed an Athletic Operations internship for Ballparks America. He graduated from William Penn in 2019 with his bachelor's in Sports Management before earning a master's degree in Sports Management in 2021.
 
Frey arrived in Des Moines after serving as the Director of Sports Information at West Virginia Wesleyan from August 2020 until December 2021.The Springfield, Ill., native previously worked in the Western Athletic Communications Department as a graduate assistant. Frey served as the radio broadcaster for WIU on the Leatherneck Sports Network handling football and men's basketball play-by-play duties during the 2019-20 season. He graduated from Western Illinois University with a bachelor's degree in Broadcasting in 2017 and a master's degree in Sport Management in 2020.
 
Hirschfeld will stay on in the Drake Athletic Communications Department. Hirschfeld spent two years as a student-assistant and four months as a graduate assistant for the department prior to becoming the Assistant Director of Communications. She transferred to Drake after two years at Northern Illinois in the fall of 2019 and started working as a student assistant in Sept. 2019. A native of Pewaukee, Wis., Hirschfeld graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication with a focus in advertising and public relations from Drake University in May of 2021. She is working toward her master's degree in communication leadership which she will receive in summer 2022.