Wake Forest Athletics
Pantages Named Associate Athletic Director for Athletic Communications
11/13/2019 10:55:00 AM | General
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Will Pantages has been named Associate Athletic Director for Athletic Communications at Wake Forest University, Director of Athletics John Currie announced earlier today. In his new position, Pantages will be responsible for leading all aspects of athletic communications strategy, including digital, social, and traditional media relations for the Demon Deacons.
Pantages joins Wake Forest after serving as a member of the athletic communications office at the University of Florida since 2014. He was the primary day-to-day media contact for the Gators' football program since 2016, working directly with UF's assistant coaches, student-athletes and assisting in requests for current coach Dan Mullen and former head coaches Jim McElwain and Randy Shannon. In addition, he supervised three content creators, served as the social media manager for all @GatorsFB accounts (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook), managed the department's overall and football-only content calendars and assisted in staff organization and hiring with his superiors.
Before assuming his management and football duties at Florida, Pantages had previously served as the principal contact for women's softball (2015-16) and men's and women's swimming and diving (2014-15). Pantages' work included a variety of tasks as the Gators softball team won an NCAA national championship in 2015.
Pantages began his Florida tenure in 2014. Prior to Florida, he worked in 2013-14 at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, serving in a variety of informational roles. His experience there included assignments in football and men's basketball, interacting with former SMU coaches June Jones and Larry Brown.
Pantages is a native of Akron, Ohio, and completed his undergraduate degree in communications and economics from Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio. While there, he played baseball as a catcher during his freshman season and then pitched for the Yellow Jackets in 2011, '12 and '13 while also working year-around in the sports information department. He is engaged to Gabrielle Montecalvo, a native of Naples, Florida, with their wedding set for April 2020.
What They're Saying:
Associate Athletic Director for Athletic Communications Will Pantages:
"Gainesville and the University of Florida will always hold a special place in my heart. It is where I met my fiancée, Gabby. She and I had no immediate plan of leaving a place we love so much. It would take an incredibly special opportunity for us to do so, and the chance to join John's (Currie) team supporting programs that compete at the very highest level in the Atlantic Coast Conference is just that. During my recent visit to Winston-Salem, I was so impressed with the people and culture in the Wake Forest program, established by Ron Wellman and continued under John's leadership. I am looking forward to helping Wake Forest tell its stories in the growing modern age of communication technology while Demon Deacon teams carry on their strong traditions of athletic competitiveness and excellence."
Wake Forest Athletic Director John Currie:
"Will emerged as the clear choice from an incredible pool of candidates for this position. His frontline experience in a leading department coupled with his demonstrated expertise in emerging aspects of communications along with his energy and character make him the perfect fit for our senior staff. He has high credibility among national media and staff and coaches throughout the Gators athletics department. We are proud to welcome him and Gabby to Winston-Salem as part of the Wake Forest family."
University of Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin:
"Will's talent and work ethic is evident to anyone who has interacted with him. He has performed at a high level in all aspects of his job. He came to work every day to enhance the Florida athletic department brand and helped provide a championship experience for our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans. I'm so appreciative for what Will contributed to the Gators, and I'm confident he will have that same impact at Wake Forest."
Football Reporter for The Athletic Andy Staples:
"It only took a few encounters with Will Pantages to know he was destined to do big things in college sports. He has great ideas. He anticipates needs. Most importantly, he sees the big picture. Hopefully he'll remember me when he's a big-shot athletic director and still take my calls. He's certainly on his way there. I'm really excited for Will and for the people at Wake Forest, who are going to love working with him."
University of Florida Senior Associate Athletics Director: Steve McClain
"Will Pantages is the consummate communications professional and is one of the young superstars in the business. His ability to develop a strategic plan and execute it, identify issues, collaborate, develop relationships, and constantly evaluate how to improve processes, combined with a relentless work ethic, have catapulted him into a high-level administrative position at a young age. I applaud Wake Forest for the hire and I am thankful for our professional and personal relationship that we have shared over the past six years."
Pantages joins Wake Forest after serving as a member of the athletic communications office at the University of Florida since 2014. He was the primary day-to-day media contact for the Gators' football program since 2016, working directly with UF's assistant coaches, student-athletes and assisting in requests for current coach Dan Mullen and former head coaches Jim McElwain and Randy Shannon. In addition, he supervised three content creators, served as the social media manager for all @GatorsFB accounts (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook), managed the department's overall and football-only content calendars and assisted in staff organization and hiring with his superiors.
Before assuming his management and football duties at Florida, Pantages had previously served as the principal contact for women's softball (2015-16) and men's and women's swimming and diving (2014-15). Pantages' work included a variety of tasks as the Gators softball team won an NCAA national championship in 2015.
Pantages began his Florida tenure in 2014. Prior to Florida, he worked in 2013-14 at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, serving in a variety of informational roles. His experience there included assignments in football and men's basketball, interacting with former SMU coaches June Jones and Larry Brown.
Pantages is a native of Akron, Ohio, and completed his undergraduate degree in communications and economics from Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio. While there, he played baseball as a catcher during his freshman season and then pitched for the Yellow Jackets in 2011, '12 and '13 while also working year-around in the sports information department. He is engaged to Gabrielle Montecalvo, a native of Naples, Florida, with their wedding set for April 2020.
What They're Saying:
Associate Athletic Director for Athletic Communications Will Pantages:
"Gainesville and the University of Florida will always hold a special place in my heart. It is where I met my fiancée, Gabby. She and I had no immediate plan of leaving a place we love so much. It would take an incredibly special opportunity for us to do so, and the chance to join John's (Currie) team supporting programs that compete at the very highest level in the Atlantic Coast Conference is just that. During my recent visit to Winston-Salem, I was so impressed with the people and culture in the Wake Forest program, established by Ron Wellman and continued under John's leadership. I am looking forward to helping Wake Forest tell its stories in the growing modern age of communication technology while Demon Deacon teams carry on their strong traditions of athletic competitiveness and excellence."
Wake Forest Athletic Director John Currie:
"Will emerged as the clear choice from an incredible pool of candidates for this position. His frontline experience in a leading department coupled with his demonstrated expertise in emerging aspects of communications along with his energy and character make him the perfect fit for our senior staff. He has high credibility among national media and staff and coaches throughout the Gators athletics department. We are proud to welcome him and Gabby to Winston-Salem as part of the Wake Forest family."
University of Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin:
"Will's talent and work ethic is evident to anyone who has interacted with him. He has performed at a high level in all aspects of his job. He came to work every day to enhance the Florida athletic department brand and helped provide a championship experience for our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans. I'm so appreciative for what Will contributed to the Gators, and I'm confident he will have that same impact at Wake Forest."
Football Reporter for The Athletic Andy Staples:
"It only took a few encounters with Will Pantages to know he was destined to do big things in college sports. He has great ideas. He anticipates needs. Most importantly, he sees the big picture. Hopefully he'll remember me when he's a big-shot athletic director and still take my calls. He's certainly on his way there. I'm really excited for Will and for the people at Wake Forest, who are going to love working with him."
University of Florida Senior Associate Athletics Director: Steve McClain
"Will Pantages is the consummate communications professional and is one of the young superstars in the business. His ability to develop a strategic plan and execute it, identify issues, collaborate, develop relationships, and constantly evaluate how to improve processes, combined with a relentless work ethic, have catapulted him into a high-level administrative position at a young age. I applaud Wake Forest for the hire and I am thankful for our professional and personal relationship that we have shared over the past six years."
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