Director of operations.
When you hear that title for a college sports team, what do you think?
Travel coordination and meals come to mind, but there is so much more that goes on behind the scenes for a team to successfully function at the Division I level.
Brad Owens has served that role as conductor for the past 14 years with the Tiger baseball program.
The 37-year-old’s love and passion for the sport began as a youth in Barnwell, S.C. and continued as a middle reliever and four-year letterman at nearby Anderson University from 2003-06. He also served as team captain during his senior season.
The business management major, who graduated with a 3.30 GPA, was a member of the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference All-Academic team and was a Dean’s List student for three years.
Owens wore many hats with the Trojan program, where along with his athletic and academic prowess, he served as a sports information department intern and later was an assistant.
He moved on to work with the Greenville Drive as an operations assistant in 2006 and later was a player development intern, including working with the Boston Red Sox in 2007.
Owens got his start at Clemson serving as an administrative graduate assistant for the student-athlete enrichment programs. He provided academic advising for student-athletic staff members as well as daily communication with coaching staffs. Owens later received his graduate degree from Clemson in human resource development.
In 2008, the idea of a “DOBO” (director of baseball operations) was a relatively new concept. Each coaching staff member would handle different areas that Owens oversees today. The responsibilities he manages include:
There are so many more aspects of a baseball program where Owens is entrenched. He truly is the “glue” for the program, ensuring that all operations are efficient, timely and without incident. Listing the areas he manages does not adequately show the level of detail needed to successfully perform his functions. The best way is to spend a day with him.
Last summer, Owens began a new chapter in his life by marrying the former Emily Brown. The couple resides in Clemson with Abbie, their yellow lab.
Thank you, Brad, for all you do behind the scenes for every member of the Clemson Baseball Family.
