Joplin, Mo. – Missouri Southern Athletic Director Rob Mallory has announced three promotions, two new hires and the naming of an interim director.
 
New to the athletics department is Administrative Assistant Lisa Severe and Academic Support Specialist Maria Dermott. Both were hired from the Missouri Southern Student Success Center, where Severe served as Event and Office Coordinator and Dermott as an Academic Advisor.
 
Severe is no stranger to athletics as she had previously served in that department at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami, Okla. for 11 years. At NEO she was the Administration Assistant aiding in special events and activities throughout the department. At Southern, Severe will provide broad administrative support for the department while assisting with a variety of special events.
 
Dermott has spent the last three years as an Academic Advisor with a focus on providing support to student-athletes. Prior to that, she served as an adjunct instructor in the Plaster College of Business at Southern. A graduate of the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and a Master's Degree in Communication, Dermott worked at the University of Arkansas - Little Rock for five years as an Annual Fund Director and Academic Advisor. She will assist Amanda Schmelzer within the Compliance and Academic Services department as the Athletic Academic Support Specialist.
 
Earning promotions will be Amanda Schmelzer, Markie McCoy, and Megan McCollough.
 
Schmelzer is being elevated to Assistant AD for Compliance and Academic Services after serving as Compliance Officer for the past three years. She previously provided support to the athletic department as both an Academic Advisor and Academic Support Specialist. Schmelzer possesses a Bachelor's Degree in Recreation Management from Pittsburg State, a Master's Degree in Sports Management from Oklahoma State, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Tulsa.
 
McCoy assumes the role of Assistant AD for Marketing and Community Engagement after five years as the department's Game Management, Promotion and Community Engagement Coordinator. A graduate of Missouri Southern, McCoy has been associated with Missouri Southern athletics for over a decade with time spent as a student athletic trainer, on the football staff and serving in her most recent role. McCoy holds a Master's Degree in Sports Management from Missouri Baptist.
 
McCollough takes on the new role of Athletics Business Manager after serving as the Administrative Assistant for six years. As the admin assistant she served in many roles such as coordinating multiple athletic events including Hall of Fame events and Southernfest, among others. As well as providing day-to-day operational support for the athletics department.
 
Following the departure of Justin Maskus as the departments Media Relations Director, Kerry Stadler has been named Interim Director of Athletic Communications.
 
Stadler is in his sixth year of working within the athletics department and third as a full-time employee. He began his time at Missouri Southern serving as a student volunteer in athletics marketing before joining the department as a student worker in athletic media relations for over three years. As the Interim Director of Athletic Communications, he will oversee all 15 varsity sports at Missouri Southern through coordination of all media relations as well as serving as the department's statistician and record keeper. He will also be producing written materials, managing the athletics website, and assisting in social media for all sports. Stadler is a 2020 graduate of Missouri Southern.