Aug. 30, 2012

AUSTIN, Texas -- The University of Texas Athletics Media Relations office has announced its staff and sport assignments for the upcoming 2012-13 athletics seasons. Four new media relations sport contacts have joined the UT staff, while the office also has added a three-person in-house web video group.

John Bianco has been elevated to the position of Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations. Bianco, a 20-year veteran of the Texas staff, had served as Assistant Athletics Director for Media Relations since 2001.

Ashley Cushman and Joe Hernandez have each been promoted to the title of Associate Media Relations Director, effective Sept. 1. Cushman, who joined the Texas staff in 2008 as Assistant Media Relations Director, has primary responsibility for women's basketball, men's golf and women's golf. Hernandez, who has served as content editor for MackBrown-TexasFootball.com for the past two years, will serve as coordinator of the new in-house web video group in addition to continuing his role with Football's web site. They join Thomas Stepp, who was promoted to Associate Media Relations Director in September 2009 and is in his 10th year on the staff, as the Associate Directors in the Media Relations Department.

Shawn Nestor, who served as Associate Director of Media Relations at the University of Maryland for the previous six years, has been named Assistant Media Relations Director. Nestor will have primary responsibility for men's track and field/cross country, serve as Co-Media Coordinator for the Texas Relays and have secondary responsibility for football.

Sarah Fetters has been named Assistant Media Relations Director and will have primary responsibility for women's soccer and softball. Fetters served as Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations at East Carolina University since December 2009.

Brian Karst, who served as Assistant Director of Athletics Communication at the University of Dayton for the last two years, has been named Assistant Media Relations Director. Karst will have primary responsibility for men's tennis and secondary responsibility for men's basketball and men's cross country.

Mary Kusek has been named Assistant Media Relations Director and will have primary responsibility for women's track and field/cross country, serve as Co-Media Coordinator for the Texas Relays and have secondary responsibility for women's basketball. Kusek served as a graduate student media relations assistant at The University of Texas for the previous two years.

Jason Pommier, who joined the Texas staff last February as Assistant Media Relations Director, will have primary responsibility for baseball and volleyball. Travis Feldhaus, who has served on the Texas staff since 2005 as Assistant Media Relations Director, will have primary responsibility for men's swimming and diving, women's swimming and diving, women's tennis and rowing.

Ben Blevins, who spent last year as an Assistant Media Relations Director at Texas, will now serve as Assistant Media Relations Director (Web Videographer Supervisor). In that role, he will supervise the day-to-day responsibilities of the video staff. Chelsea Parler and Michael Tomko have been named Assistant Media Relations Directors (Web Videographer/Editor). Parler worked as a production assistant for Gamecock Productions at the University of South Carolina since August 2010. Tomko spent three years as Multimedia Coordinator for GoDuke.com at Duke University prior to completing his master's degree from Northwestern University in June 2012.

University of Texas Athletics Media Relations Staff (2012-13 season)
Name, Title                                           Sport Responsibility
John Bianco, Associate AD/Media Relations             Football, Office Director
Scott McConnell, Assistant AD/Media Relations         Men's Basketball, Women's Sports
Ashley Cushman, Associate Media Relations Director    Women's Basketball, M/W Golf
Joe Hernandez, Associate Media Relations Director     Coordinator, Web Video
Thomas Stepp, Associate Media Relations Director      Football
Ben Blevins, Assistant Media Relations Director       Web Videographer Supervisor
Travis Feldhaus, Assistant Media Relations Director   M/W Swimming & Diving, Women's Tennis, Rowing
Sarah Fetters, Assistant Media Relations Director     Soccer, Softball
Brian Karst, Assistant Media Relations Director       Men's Basketball, Men's Tennis
Mary Kusek, Assistant Media Relations Director        Women's Basketball, Women's Track & Field
Shawn Nestor, Assistant Media Relations Director      Football, Men's Track & Field
Chelsea Parler, Assistant Media Relations Director    Web Videographer/Editor
Jason Pommier, Assistant Media Relations Director     Baseball, Volleyball
Michael Tomko, Assistant Media Relations Director     Web Videographer/Editor