INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian University Department of Athletics has announced the hiring of its newest Assistant Athletic Director for Communications, as the office recently selected Drew Sandifer to be its fifth full-time communications czar in athletics history. A graduate of nearby Cardinal Ritter HS and Butler University, Sandifer returns to the 317 after spending the past 3.5 years serving at Catawba College. 

"I'm incredibly excited to join the Marian University family," said Sandifer on joining the Knights. "I want to thank Steve Downing and Mark Henninger for entrusting me with this role in recognizing the amazing accomplishments of Marian student-athletes, coaches and programs. I look forward to adding to an already outstanding culture of excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community. Go, Knights!"

Drew Sandifer is a veteran athletics communications professional, serving in various roles as an athletic communicator for five years. Sandifer comes to Marian after spending over three years at Catawba College, where he served as an Associate Athletic Director and Director of Athletics Communications. While at Catawba, Sandifer led an athletics communications department that promoted and executed coverage strategies of 24 intercollegiate sports. In his first full year in 2023-24, he helped lead the communications staff at Catawba to the South Atlantic Conference Media Relations Staff of the Year honor. In addition to leading his staff's honor, Sandifer also led the redesign process of Catawba's website through Sidearm Sports. 

Before his time at Catawba, Sandifer spent the better part of two years as a graduate assistant and athletics communications assistant at Wingate University. Sandifer was a member of the staff in the 2022-23 year when Wingate earned the South Atlantic Conference's top media relations honor, all while working to complete his master of arts in sports management at Wingate. 

A native of the Circle City, Sandifer attended Cardinal Ritter High School while going on to attend college locally at Butler University. Sandifer graduated with honors and earned a B.S in Sports Media at Butler, and was the sports editor for The Butler Collegian in his undergrad days. 

Sandifer will be replacing Mitch Huppert, who is resigning from the university this Friday after serving the past 10 years in the sports information office. Huppert departs Marian as a three-time Crossroads League SID of the Year, having provided coverage for seven of the Knights' 10  NAIA National Championships. 

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