News Updates

TU Sports Chief. The University of Tulsa announced Ross Parmley, interim athletic director since Oct. 14, will now step into the role full time.

Parmle had taken over for former TU athletic director Bubba Cunningham who left last fall to become the athletic director at University of North Carolina.

Parmley has worked for TU for seven years. In September, he was named deputy director of athletics. Previously, Parmley served as associate athletic director for operations and administration since June 2007.

Also in 2007, he served as the director of the Golden Hurricane Club (on an interim basis), as the fundraising arm of athletics surpassed its goal of $1.7 million.

New TU Athletic Director, Ross Parmley

Parmley originally came to TU in 2005 as director of football operations.

"With the rapidly changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics--NCAA reform, conference realignment and television--it became more important that permanent leadership of the department was needed," University of Tulsa president Steadman Upham said.

Parmley spoke at the news conference, and accepted his new title with enthusiasm. "It's a privilege to be in the role as athletics director at one of the country's leading institutions of higher education," Parmley said.

During his tenure at TU, Parmley has handled supervision of the athletic business office, ticket office, equipment staff and game day operations. He has also overseen the development and supervision of the annual athletic department budget.

He has had sport supervision for tennis and golf and served as the lead person for the planning and coordination of the TU golf practice facility at Patriot Golf Course. He has also worked closely with the Academic Services staff on the successful pursuit of maintaining APR above NCAA guidelines.

Parmley served as the tournament director for the 2008 NCAA Division I Tennis Championships and several Conference USA Championships, as well as served as tournament manager for the 2011 NCAA Basketball Tournament, 2nd and 3rd Rounds at the BOK Center.

Before coming to Tulsa, Parmley--an Oklahoma native who grew up in Lawton--spent more than two years as director of athletics for the Norman Public Schools. He supervised more than 65 athletic programs and 200 coaching positions in the Norman School District.

Parmley is 38, and earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Cameron University, and a master's degree in sports management from University of Oklahoma. He and his wife Heather have two children, a daughter, Jordyn Kate, and son, Blake.

Check out TulsaHurricane.com for more info.