George Washington University Athletics
Ruge Named to Lead Athletics External Operations, Vollaro to Build Student-Athlete Development Programs
4/1/2020 1:00:00 PM | General
WASHINGTON — George Washington Director of Athletics Tanya Vogel has announced the additions of Andy Ruge and Sarah Vollaro to the Athletics Department staff.
With over 25 years in sports administration, Ruge, a highly respected industry veteran, joins GW as the Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Operations.
In his role, Ruge will provide leadership to the Colonials' external engagement unit and will help expand the brand both locally and nationally, while enhancing opportunities for further engagement.
"I am honored and excited to be joining the Athletics Department at the George Washington University," said Ruge. "I am fortunate to stay in the DMV and the Atlantic 10 while continuing to grow my career with such a prominent university. I sincerely thank Athletics Director Tanya Vogel and the hiring committee for selecting me."
Ruge will oversee external relations, which includes fan engagement, marketing, communications, facilities, development and video services. Additionally, Ruge will lead collaborative initiatives with multiple entities regarding external outreach to bolster ticket sales while continuing to enhance a fan-friendly environment.
"I am so excited to welcome Andy onto our senior leadership team," Vogel states. "His depth of experience in the Atlantic 10 Conference and in the DMV is so important as we work to build GW's significance in the market. I am looking forward to enhancing our external engagement strategy with Andy's breadth of experience and vision to integrate all of our external areas."
"I'm looking forward to mentoring and supporting student-athletes, coaches and staff to help them achieve personal and professional growth," noted Ruge. "Together, with a highly talented external team, I'm passionate about building George Washington Athletics' place in the market."
Ruge comes to GW from nearby George Mason University, a fellow member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, where he served in multiple capacities before ending his tenure as the Associate Athletic Director of Marketing & Sales. With the Patriots, Ruge presided over Mason's marketing campaigns and ticketing operations and was a pivotal contributor to the university-wide rebranding initiative.
During his time in Fairfax, Ruge and his team were recognized 10 times by the National Associate of Collegiate Marketing Administrators' "Best of" Award, which honors outstanding achievement in marketing and promotions. Ruge belongs to multiple national organizations and affiliations in college athletics and serves as the A-10's representative in NACMA.
Of his many accomplishments at Mason, Ruge's staff elevated annual student participation in athletic events by 14% via strategically targeted promotions.
During Mason's Final Four run in 2006, Ruge orchestrated the external efforts, which in return saw approximately $677 million in media exposure for the university.
In addition to Ruge's hiring, the Colonials also added Vollaro as the Sr. Program Associate of Student-Athlete Development to complement an already exceptional Educational Support Services team.
"Sarah is a great addition to the Educational Support Services team, specifically in student leadership training, personal development, and career guidance," said John Square, Associate Athletics Director for Internal Operations. "During her internship, she was a major contributor in revamping our Leadership Academy, which is now LEAAP, and other projects. Her energy and passion for student development will help propel us forward, allowing our student-athletes to become the best version of themselves."
No stranger to Foggy Bottom, Vollaro, has been a member of the Colonials since 2019 serving as a graduate intern. Before that, she lent her skills and support to the University of Maryland's Athletics Department as an assistant academic advisor.
"I am thrilled to be in this role, especially at George Washington, and to be surrounded by a staff that has been welcoming from the start," Vollaro said. "As a former student-athlete, I believe there is incredible value in the student-athlete experience and I cannot wait to assist these students to create memorable, lasting experiences on and off the court. In this role, my hopes are to help our student-athletes reach their full potential in life, not just in sports."
A former softball player at The University of Iowa, Vollaro earned her bachelor's in sport and recreation management and then received a M.Ed. in student affairs from Maryland. Her research focused on how the experience as a Division I student-athlete impacts career choices.
With over 25 years in sports administration, Ruge, a highly respected industry veteran, joins GW as the Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Operations.
In his role, Ruge will provide leadership to the Colonials' external engagement unit and will help expand the brand both locally and nationally, while enhancing opportunities for further engagement.
"I am honored and excited to be joining the Athletics Department at the George Washington University," said Ruge. "I am fortunate to stay in the DMV and the Atlantic 10 while continuing to grow my career with such a prominent university. I sincerely thank Athletics Director Tanya Vogel and the hiring committee for selecting me."
Ruge will oversee external relations, which includes fan engagement, marketing, communications, facilities, development and video services. Additionally, Ruge will lead collaborative initiatives with multiple entities regarding external outreach to bolster ticket sales while continuing to enhance a fan-friendly environment.
"I am so excited to welcome Andy onto our senior leadership team," Vogel states. "His depth of experience in the Atlantic 10 Conference and in the DMV is so important as we work to build GW's significance in the market. I am looking forward to enhancing our external engagement strategy with Andy's breadth of experience and vision to integrate all of our external areas."
"I'm looking forward to mentoring and supporting student-athletes, coaches and staff to help them achieve personal and professional growth," noted Ruge. "Together, with a highly talented external team, I'm passionate about building George Washington Athletics' place in the market."
Ruge comes to GW from nearby George Mason University, a fellow member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, where he served in multiple capacities before ending his tenure as the Associate Athletic Director of Marketing & Sales. With the Patriots, Ruge presided over Mason's marketing campaigns and ticketing operations and was a pivotal contributor to the university-wide rebranding initiative.
During his time in Fairfax, Ruge and his team were recognized 10 times by the National Associate of Collegiate Marketing Administrators' "Best of" Award, which honors outstanding achievement in marketing and promotions. Ruge belongs to multiple national organizations and affiliations in college athletics and serves as the A-10's representative in NACMA.
Of his many accomplishments at Mason, Ruge's staff elevated annual student participation in athletic events by 14% via strategically targeted promotions.
During Mason's Final Four run in 2006, Ruge orchestrated the external efforts, which in return saw approximately $677 million in media exposure for the university.
In addition to Ruge's hiring, the Colonials also added Vollaro as the Sr. Program Associate of Student-Athlete Development to complement an already exceptional Educational Support Services team.
"Sarah is a great addition to the Educational Support Services team, specifically in student leadership training, personal development, and career guidance," said John Square, Associate Athletics Director for Internal Operations. "During her internship, she was a major contributor in revamping our Leadership Academy, which is now LEAAP, and other projects. Her energy and passion for student development will help propel us forward, allowing our student-athletes to become the best version of themselves."
No stranger to Foggy Bottom, Vollaro, has been a member of the Colonials since 2019 serving as a graduate intern. Before that, she lent her skills and support to the University of Maryland's Athletics Department as an assistant academic advisor.
"I am thrilled to be in this role, especially at George Washington, and to be surrounded by a staff that has been welcoming from the start," Vollaro said. "As a former student-athlete, I believe there is incredible value in the student-athlete experience and I cannot wait to assist these students to create memorable, lasting experiences on and off the court. In this role, my hopes are to help our student-athletes reach their full potential in life, not just in sports."
A former softball player at The University of Iowa, Vollaro earned her bachelor's in sport and recreation management and then received a M.Ed. in student affairs from Maryland. Her research focused on how the experience as a Division I student-athlete impacts career choices.
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