NEW ORLEANS, La. - New Orleans Privateers Assistant Athletic Director Brandon Rizzuto resigned from his post to become the General Manager of the New Orleans VooDoo of the Arena Football League on Wednesday morning.
Rizzuto, an alumnus of UNO, was entering his third season with the Privateers before accepting the position of General Manager with the VooDoo. Prior to arriving at UNO, Rizzuto spent two seasons with the VooDoo. In his final year with the franchise, he served as a Vice President and hosted the team's weekly television show, among many other responsibilities.
"This is a bittersweet day for me. I am very excited about the opportunity and challenge that lies ahead with the VooDoo, but I am also saddened to leave my beloved alma mater," said Rizzuto. "My career in athletics started as a student volunteer here, and I am happy to have spent these past two years helping restore the image of the department and righting the ship back to NCAA Division I."
As a student at UNO, Rizzuto and the UNO Ambassadors started Swampball - a six on six mud volleyball tournament - in the spring of 2006, and the event has steadily grown to be one of the campus' premier student events. Upon returning to the campus as an Assistant Athletic Director in the fall of 2011, Rizzuto and Athletic Director
Derek Morel initiated a re-branding project that saw the Privateers obtain a new image to coincide with the university's commitment to staying Division I.
The new image of the Privateers was rated in the Top 10 Sports Logos of 2013 by Sportslogos.net. In addition to the new image, the Privateers official website, unoprivateers.com, underwent a complete makeover, which was also received highly among fans and critics. Rizzuto also revived the department's media guides, which had been dormant for four years. For the 2014-15 season, the Privateers will have media guides for volleyball, men's basketball, women's basketball, and baseball.
Rizzuto is also responsible for creating social media identities for each of the Privateers varsity sports, while also fostering a positive learning environment for student workers, interns and volunteers.
"Brandon was a true asset for our department and university and I am certain he will continue to serve as great ambassador and alumnus moving forward," said Morel. "I look forward to continuing to see Brandon grow as a professional in sports administration, and look forward to his continued involvement in Privateer athletics."
Upon resigning, Rizzuto joined the Privateer Athletic Foundation and applied to be on the Board of Directors. His application is up for approval at the next PAF Board of Director meeting.
"The VooDoo got a true gem and up-and-comer in the sports industry. Our loss here at UNO is their gain," said Privateers Baseball Head Coach
Ron Maestri. "We will definitely miss Brandon at UNO. I, among many others, am sad to see him go, but at the same time, we are very happy for him. He has earned this opportunity."
Rizzuto was introduced in a press conference Wednesday at the Smoothie King Center. He will begin with the VooDoo on Thursday, October 16. Athletics Communications Assistants
Emmanuel Pepis and
Chip Merritt will assume all UNO athletic communications responsibilities until further notice.
