March 21, 2008

Patrick McFarland has been named Interim Gamecock Club Director and Bryan Risner has been named Interim Associate Athletics Director for Development, University of South Carolina Athletics Director Eric Hyman announced today.

“With Patrick and Bryan moving into these roles, we won’t miss a beat,” said Hyman. “We have a lot of initiatives in place right now and they both have been directly involved in everything that we’ve been doing. Patrick, who recently was named our “Teammate of the Month” is someone everyone in the Gamecock Club is very familiar with, while Bryan has done a tremendous job in fundraising for the capital campaign.”

McFarland has been part of the Gamecock Club administration for over 10 years, beginning in 1997 with an internship under then-Gamecock Club Director Herb Sharpe. A life-long resident of the Palmetto State, McFarland was hired as an Assistant Director of the Gamecock Club in 1999 under Jeff Barber. He was promoted to Associate Director in 2006, working under Chris Wyrick. His duties have included serving as the liaison for Gamecock Club Board of Directors and Executive Committee, overseeing the premium seating areas for football, co-chair of the Policy and Procedures Committee, planning and coordinating the annual Spring Meetings with the Coaches/Chapter Presidents and directing the Junior and Student Gamecock Clubs.

“I am extremely excited and flattered to have the opportunity to serve as interim Gamecock Club Director,” said McFarland, whose father, Jim McFarland, was a longtime president of the Lexington County Chapter of the Gamecock Club. “This is my dream job and there is no other place I’d rather be than at South Carolina. My goal has always been to work in Gamecock Athletics and to have the opportunity to serve as the interim director and to continue to progress in the Gamecock Club is truly a blessing.”

Risner joined the Carolina athletics department as an Assistant Athletics Director and Director of Major Gifts in July of 2006. He has worked closely with individual and corporate partners to raise the philanthropic funds necessary for the new facility improvements and expansion planned. Before arriving in Columbia, Risner was the Assistant Athletics Director for Development at the University of Louisville, dealing primarily with the major gift needs of the athletics department. While at Louisville, Risner oversaw the major gift office that raised funds for the building of a baseball stadium, natatorium, lacrosse stadium, indoor practice facility, golf practice facility and basketball/volleyball practice facility.

My goal is to continue to focus the capital campaign toward building championship-caliber facilities and programs,” said Risner, “I have great confidence in Patrick and the entire Gamecock Club staff to continue the positive momentum we have created. We are headed in the right direction. We need to keep it moving forward so we can provide our student-athletes and fans the greatest possible experience.”