Wyrick moving up and strengthening his resume

NC State alum and former Wolfpack Club employee, Chris Wyrick, is on the move.

In light of the diversity of experiences and connections to Raleigh, Wyrick – along with App State’s Charlie Cobb – would most definitely be leading candidates for the NC State Athletics Directorship if we would ever be so lucky as to have “Coach” Lee Fowler disappear into the abyss.

At South Carolina, Chris Wyrick’s job as director of the Gamecock Club the past two years was to help run a $200 million capital campaign for the USC athletics department.

His next job, at facilities-rich SEC-rival Arkansas, will encompass much more than simply fundraising.

Wyrick, 40, will be named Arkansas’ senior associate athletics director for external relations, a position that, in addition to fundraising, includes authority over tickets, marketing and handling rights for the Razorbacks’ TV and radio outlets.

One source who requested anonymity called it “a huge promotion” that will put Wyrick on “the fast track” to becoming an athletics director.

At USC, Wyrick helped the Gamecock Club increase revenues from $13.8 million in fiscal 2006 to $27.8 million in 2007. For fiscal 2008, the club was $700,000 ahead of that pace as of Dec. 31.

Among Wyrick’s accomplishments was procuring a $5.5 million contribution from Greer resident Delores “Dodie” Anderson, to be used toward the construction of the school’s academic enrichment center, which will be named after her.

“Chris accomplished a lot with his reorganization of the Gamecock Club,” Hyman said. “He created an infrastructure that will pay dividends for the school and the athletics department.

“He made (the Gamecock Club) a very professional operation. It’s run like a business now. If you ask the board members, they’ll tell you he helped implement a lot of things.”

USC board of trustees member and former chairman Eddie Floyd of Florence said Wyrick, had he stayed at USC, might have been in line for bigger responsibilities.

“I thought he would be a good candidate for the university’s head of development someday,” Floyd said. “He managed the athletics department’s business well, and he was a great fundraiser.

“I’m really disappointed he’s leaving. He’s been one of my favorite people.”