Troy Katen

VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University President, Dr. Richard Carvajal, announced Monday the hiring of Troy Katen as Director of Athletics for the Blazers. He will replace long-time athletic director Herb Reinhard, who is set to retire June 30, 2024, following over 32 years at the helm of the Blazers.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have someone of Troy’s caliber as the next leader of Blazer Athletics,” said Dr. Carvajal. “With more than 20 years of experience in intercollegiate athletics, Troy is ready to build on the championship tradition at VSU and take us to new heights. I am beyond excited to welcome Troy and his family to Blazer Nation.”

“I am honored and excited to be named the next Director of Athletics at Valdosta State University,” said Katen. “VSU is nationally known in Division II, and it is a privilege to lead this program and continue the championship culture. I would like to thank President Carvajal, Director of Athletics, Herb Reinhard, members of the search committee, and the VSU community for allowing me this opportunity to lead the Blazer athletic department going forward. My family and I cannot wait to arrive in Valdosta and officially call Blazer Nation home.”

Katen comes to Titletown from NCAA Division II Northwest Missouri State in Maryville, Missouri, where he has served as Deputy Athletic Director – External Operations since 2019. While at Northwest Missouri State, Katen has raised over $2,900,000 in fundraising efforts over a five-year period, while assisting in an additional $1.6 million for a private facilities upgrade.

At NWMSU, Katen coordinated the Bearcat Booster Club, athletic licensing, Bearcat Stadium suite renewals and memberships, athletic department development and external facility contracts along with the Bearcat corporate sponsorships program. Katen had director oversight of athletic media relations and athletic marketing, while he served on the Northwest Missouri State Senior Leadership Team, Crisis Management Team, Gender-Equity Committee and Inclusive Excellence Action Committee, to name a few.

Katen assisted in the development of the Bearcat Athletic Strategic Plan, while he served on the NCAA Division II National Tennis Rules Committee and served as national chair for the tennis committee and was regional chair.

He was part of an athletic department that has won eight national championships, four regional titles and two Elite 90 award winners in five years.

Prior to NWMSU, Katen served as the Associate Athletic Director for the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas. Katen oversaw the athletic operations for USM and served as coordinator for the Spire Golf Classic, Spire Club, and the Spire Athletic Partnership Program. He also served as the USM Champions of Character Liaison for the NAIA.

A native of Fairfield, Neb., Katen also had a two-year stint at Wentworth Military Academy and College in Lexington, Mo. In his two years at Wentworth, he held a number of titles including head women’s basketball coach, head baseball coach and assistant/associate athletic director.

Katen came to Wentworth in 2014 from Peru State College located in Peru, Neb. He served as the head men’s basketball coach from 2008-2014. He also served as assistant director of corporate sponsorship in the Bobcats athletic department.

Prior to being named head coach at Peru State, Katen served as assistant men’s basketball coach, athletic marketing and event management at Central Methodist University from 2006-2008. At Hastings College, Katen served as assistant basketball coach, head men’s golf coach and athletic marketing director (2001-2006).

He began his collegiate coaching career at Dakota Wesleyan University (1998-2001), where he served as assistant basketball coach and men’s/women’s golf coach.

Katen was a three-sport letterman in football, basketball and baseball at Kansas Wesleyan University. After graduating from KWU, Katen spent one season on the Coyotes coaching staff as an assistant basketball and football coach. He received his master’s degree in teaching from Hastings in 2004.

He has served on the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Basketball National Tournament Committee at the NAIA Division I and II levels. He has also held the position of NAIA Region Golf Rater while at Dakota Wesleyan.

He and his wife, Stacy, have two children, Brooke and Blake.