The University of Toledo has appointed Dr. Connor Whelan as its new Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), Vice President and Director of Athletics Bryan B. Blair announced Tuesday.
Whelan brings a wealth of experience in athletic administration, fan experience, student engagement and revenue generation, most recently serving as Associate Athletic Director for Fan Experience and Sales at Mississippi State University.
In his role at Toledo, Whelan will oversee all external operations, including corporate partnerships, revenue strategy, development, premium seating, marketing, brand strategy, ticket sales and fan engagement, playing a key leadership role in the department’s financial growth initiatives.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Connor Whelan to Team Toledo,” Blair said. “Connor is a rising star and one of the most highly recommended young leaders in college athletics — his name came up repeatedly from some of the brightest minds in our industry. What stood out throughout the process was his elite energy, relentless work ethic and genuine hunger — not just to be at Toledo, but to grow, to lead and to help take the Rockets to new heights.
“He’s a gritty competitor with an entrepreneurial mindset. His extensive experience in revenue generation, fan experience and student engagement — from the Sun Belt to the ACC and SEC — combined with his background as a Division I student-athlete, makes him uniquely equipped to elevate our people, our brand and our impact.”
During his tenure at Mississippi State from 2022-25, Whelan spearheaded record-breaking ticket sales, innovative marketing campaigns and historic attendance milestones. He led the rollout of a new outbound ticket sales program that generated more than $5 million in revenue and set all-time football ticket revenue records ($27.1 million in 2023).
Additionally, he led the strategy for “Super Bulldog Weekend,” which set an NCAA on-campus baseball attendance record (16,423 fans), generated more than $1 million in revenue and included the first ever major concert production following a college baseball game featuring country singer Brett Eldredge.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join the Toledo Rockets and Bryan Blair’s team,” Whelan said. “Toledo is a premier program within the Group of 5 and routinely stands out nationally for its accomplishments in both athletic and academic pursuits. I cannot wait to help guide the department and campus to even greater heights. As a Western Pennsylvania native, this area of the country is home to me and I couldn’t be more excited to be back. Big things are ahead and I am excited to be able to play a part in the future success of Toledo Athletics.”
Prior to his tenure at Mississippi State, Whelan served as Assistant Athletic Director for Fan Experience and Sales at Wake Forest University where he guided football marketing efforts to three sellouts and set record-breaking ticket revenue numbers in 2021.
Whelan also held positions at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the University of Arkansas. At Louisiana Lafayette, he led a marketing team that produced dramatic increases in sales revenue and guided efforts that resulted in No. 1 attendance marks in the Sun Belt Conference in men’s basketball, baseball and softball.
Whelan holds a Ph.D. in Sports Management from Troy University, an MBA from the University of Arkansas and a bachelor’s degree in Sports Administration from Kent State University, where he was also a two-time Academic All-MAC cross country/track student-athlete.
Whelan will begin his role at Toledo on Monday, June 23.
