By Abby Rathburn | Staff Writer
Long before Doug McNamee started making decisions for Baylor Athletics, he was an ordinary college student balancing academics, work with the basketball team and fraternity life, shaped by Baylor’s Christian perspective. More than two decades later, he has returned to Baylor with a focus on the students now sitting where he once did.
McNamee was named Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics in December 2025. After earning a bachelor’s in speech communications from Baylor in 2003 and a master’s in sports communication in 2005, McNamee went on to serve as president of Magnolia and president of Field & Stream before returning to Baylor.
Looking back on his time at Baylor, McNamee said the decision to return has been a full-circle moment he continues to thank God for.
“If you would have told me this was the journey that I had come on, I’d say no way,” McNamee said. “I’m very appreciative and in awe and grateful for what is a blessed, undeserved opportunity for me, and it motivates me, and it drives me every day.”
As an undergraduate, McNamee worked for the basketball team and was a member of Beta Upsilon Chi, a Christian fraternity that had only been on campus for a few years at the time.
“The flexibility and the genuine nature of the guys that were in that group were attractive, and their understanding of what my commitments were and their accommodations to make that happen drew me in,” McNamee said. “Obviously, once I was a part of it, the friends that I made through that organization are some of the best friends I have today. There was a large chunk of those guys that were part of my wedding 20 years ago.”
McNamee has stayed in contact with his fraternity brothers over the years. He has met up with many of them through Baylor events, such as homecoming and football games, and considers many Beta Upsilon Chi, otherwise known as BYX, alumni among his closest friends.
Now that he is back on campus, those relationships have also created connections with the current chapter.
“A lot of guys outside of BYX, like old alumni, are super encouraged to get back involved now that he has been connecting them to us,” San Antonio senior and BYX President Robert Gulley said.
Forney senior and BYX member Christian Morgan said he found out about McNamee’s affiliation in conversation with Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management Recruiting, Marketing, and Innovation Ross VanDyke.
“[VanDyke] was actually the one who told me when I went to go meet with him,” Morgan said. “He was in BYX when he was here, too, and so he was there at the same time as Doug.”
Once they made the connection, Gulley sent McNamee an email in hopes of connecting.
“He’s obviously one of the busiest guys on this campus, but he carved time out of his schedule to meet with me … I just got some great leadership advice,” Gulley said. “We’ve been in very consistent contact with him. I probably talk to him every week.”
After reconnecting, McNamee gained deeper insight into the student experience. Although BYX connected with McNamee, Gulley reassures students that McNamee is “ready to lead whoever wants it.”
During his first month at Baylor, McNamee made himself available to all students by holding a meet-and-greet at the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center. In his current role, McNamee has worked to improve the student game day experience.
“When we do something as it relates to fan experience, I generally stare at the students to see how they are responding because if they’re responding well, then at that point, I’m in a good space,” McNamee said.
This focus on the student experience started long before McNamee accepted the job offer. In further conversation with VanDyke, Morgan learned that McNamee had talked about leading Baylor Athletics long before he got the job.
“While they were both members here at Baylor, Doug actually said [to VanDyke] that he wanted to be the Director of Baylor Athletics, and so it’s cool that he actually ended up going through with it and that that is what he is now,” Morgan said.
