CHADRON, Neb. – Chadron State College athletics has named CSC graduate Kelly McLendon as the department's new Assistant Director for Athletic Facilities and Events, athletic director Mannie Reinsch announced. 

"Throughout the interview process, Kelly continually demonstrated her commitment to our student-athletes and providing a top-tier experience for them," Reinsch said. "With this being a new position, I'm excited to see how Kelly uses her level of expertise to advance our department to new heights."

In her newly created position, McLendon will coordinate game-day operations for CSC's athletic events, including venue setup, equipment preparation and crowd management. McLendon will also recruit, train and schedule event staff and student workers, in addition to serving as the point of contact for outside rentals of CSC facilities.

"I'm honored to return to CSC and work alongside our staff and athletes as we continue to elevate the athletic programs and push our culture to the next level," McLendon said.

A native of Rapid City, South Dakota, McLendon attended Chadron State and graduated with her bachelor's degree in education and English language arts in 2019. Since 2019, she has served in various roles across Crawford High School in Crawford, Nebraska, beginning as a 9-12 English teacher and eventually coaching the Crawford cross country and girl's track teams.

For the past two years, in addition to teaching, McLendon served as Crawford High School's Co-Activities Director, where she managed and facilitated athletic and non-athletic events for the school. 

Kelly McLendon and her husband Chase McLendon, the Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning at CSC, were married in 2021. The couple have two sons, Duke (2) and Lee (3 months). 

McLendon's first day in her new position was Friday, May 30.