UMD News Releases

UMD Vice Chancellor for University Relations and Interim Athletics Director William Wade has announced that three finalists have been selected for the position of UMD Athletics Director.

The three finalists are:

• Sean Frazier
• Vivian Fuller
• Bob Nielson

A brief background about each is below.

Interviewing of the three candidates will take place in Duluth, August 24 - 27. A final decision is expected to be made by early September.

Vice Chancellor Wade said, "We are very pleased with the pool of candidates, and we are sure that we will have an outstanding person to lead the UMD athletics program into the future."

Sean Frazier
Director of Athletics and Recreation, Clarkson University (Division I hockey, Division III) 2002 present

Prior to Clarkson, Sean served as Director of Athletics and Recreation at Manhattanville College (Division III) 1999-2002. He has Division I ice hockey experience at both Clarkson and University of Maine, where he served as Assistant Director of Athletics 1997-1999. In addition his hockey teams at Manhattanville College were highly ranked in NCAA Division III. Sean served on the 2001 NCAA Division III Women?s Ice Hockey Championship Committee. He has served as an assistant football coach at Boston University and the University of Maine. He has participated in the NCAA Fellows Leadership Development Program and Jim Livengood, Athletic Director at the University of Arizona, has served as his mentor in that program. As a undergraduate at the University of Alabama Sean was a running back and linebacker on the football team and participated in Sun Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. He received his master?s degree at the University of Maine.

Vivian Fuller
Director of Athletics, University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Division I) 2000-2003

Dr. Fuller was the Director of Athletics at Tennessee State University (Division I) 1997-1999, Northeastern Illinois University 1992-1997, and Associate Athletic Director at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Division II) 1987-1992. She has also served as a collegiate volleyball and softball coach at North Carolina A & T State University 1980-1982. While at North Carolina A & T she was an assistant professor in Health, Physical Education and Recreation. Dr. Fuller has been active at the NCAA serving on the Division I Management Council, the NCAA Council and chair of the National Youth Sports Program. She was a track athlete at Fayetteville State University, received her master?s degree at University of Idaho and her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Iowa State University.

Bob Nielson
Football coach, University of Minnesota Duluth (Division I hockey, Division II) 1999-present

Bob currently serves as the chair of departmental budget committee and member of the fundraising and youth and community programs committees. In 2002 he was a finalist for the NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year. Bob has also served as football coach at Ripon College, Wartburg College and University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He was selected by the ?Football Gazette? as the NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year for 1998. Administratively Bob has served as the Athletic Director at Wartburg College (Division III) from 1991-1996 and Associate Athletic Director at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (Division III) 1996-1999. He has also served as a Director of Admissions and Director of Financial Aid. He played football and received his BA (summa cum laude) from Wartburg College. His master?s degree is from the University of Northern Iowa.