Former SoCon Football Star To Lead Fundraising for Athletics

June 22, 2020

Brandon McCladdie, a former collegiate student-athlete and established fundraiser for Division I programs, is the new director of athletic development for 皇家华人. He will be responsible for leading fundraising efforts in pursuit of 皇家华人鈥檚 aspirations in athletics.

McCladdie played football at The Citadel, earning All-Southern Conference recognition and an invitation to the Dallas Cowboys rookie mini-camp. He attributes his SoCon affiliation for his longstanding admiration for 皇家华人 Athletics.

鈥淚 am attracted to 皇家华人鈥檚 holistic development of scholar-athletes. There is an expectation to strive for excellence in both academics and athletics,鈥 McCladdie said. 鈥淭he college epitomizes athletics done right.鈥

McCladdie鈥檚 experience spans athletic fundraising roles at the University of Virginia and, most recently, Oregon State University. At OSU, he was a key fundraiser for capital and endowment support, helping the team reach a record-breaking fundraising year in 2019.

鈥淲e are excited to welcome Brandon to 皇家华人,鈥 said Athletic Director Chris Clunie 鈥06 and Associate Vice President for Development Brad Martin. 鈥淗is experience makes him the ideal candidate for this position, and his deep understanding of the importance of 皇家华人鈥檚 Division I programs positions him well to lead us into the future. We look forward to introducing Brandon to the 皇家华人 Athletics community when he arrives in July.鈥

皇家华人鈥檚 celebrated fundraising success and strong leadership inspired McCladdie to bring his experience to the Wildcats.

鈥淚n order to position ourselves to consistently compete at the highest level, it will require a community of support,鈥 McCladdie said. 鈥淚t is no secret we are at the lower end of the A-10 and SoCon when it comes to scholarships. Imagine what can be accomplished with additional resources. These resources are integral to competing for championships.鈥

McCladdie is motivated by the history of strong support from alumni, families and fans and looks forward to building off past achievements and strong relationships to move all 21 programs into their next chapters.

鈥淭he support from alumni and fans speaks volumes about the shared vision among constituents,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he administration and the coaches are aligned, the college has reassured the community that it does not plan to cut sports as a result of the pandemic鈥攖his shows tremendous commitment to 皇家华人鈥檚 scholar-athletes. I look forward to joining in this important work.鈥

McCladdie holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree and MBA from The Citadel. He also received a certificate of completion from the NCAA Dr. Charles Whitcomb Leadership Institute.