Major

SLIPPERY ROCK — After 17 years in South Florida, Andy Major has come home to Slippery Rock University.

Major, a 1989 SRU graduate and a three-year starter at free safety in football, recently assumed the duties of assistant to the athletic director for fundraising and sponsorships at The Rock.

He succeeds Carrie Osborne Michaels, whose husband Jeff recently accepted the associate athletic director's position at Shippensburg University.

"We're thrilled to get Andy," SRUathletic director Paul Lueken said. "He's so excited about this job and I can't believe he's here."

Major spent the last 15 years working for the Florida Marlins Major League Baseball franchise and the NFL's Miami Dolphins. He was responsible for all ticket operations, club level services and guest services areas at Dolphins Stadium for both teams.

Major joined the Marlins before their inaugural season in 1993. He owns two World Series rings from his years with the organization.

He also prepared Dolphins Stadium for two Super Bowl games and worked for three college football national championship games in the Orange Bowl.

"I was lucky to go down there (South Florida) when I did," Major said. "I made a lot of great friends and worked for some good people."

Major came back to the Slippery Rock area for family reasons. His wife, Sherry, is from Volant. He has a brother and sister living in the area, and he is from Rochester N.Y. The couple have more family in Philadelphia.

The Majors have three children ranging in age from 5 to 9.

"He was looking for a different avenue in his life,"Lueken said. "He wanted a smaller community with a good family atmosphere."

"My wife and I don't want to see family just once or twice a year anymore," Major said. "Having three small kids with no family anywhere in Florida was tough. Now we're within driving distance of everyone."

Major's job duties at The Rock will be different from his predecessor's. Osborne handled the athletic department's academic support program. SRUtennis coach Matt Meredith has inherited those duties.

Major will focus upon fundraising efforts for SRUathletics and developing sponsorships for the department.

"Instead of corporate sponsors, he's looking for marketing partners,"Lueken said. "That's one change he made right away — before he even learned how to use the phone system here."

Major was a member of current SRUfootball coach George Mihalik's first senior class.

"He was a great young man as an undergraduate,"Mihalik said. "As a professional, the potential he brings to our athletic department, based on his experiences in the NFL, is unlimited."