July 21, 2006

WACO, Texas - Baylor has hired Bart Byrd to serve as assistant athletic director for student-athlete services, athletic director Ian McCaw announced Friday.

In his new capacity Byrd will be charged with oversight of academic services for student-athletes. Baylor has led the Big 12 Conference in graduation rates five times during the past 10 years.

"Bart will provide outstanding leadership in this vital area," McCaw said. "His passion for student-athlete academic and personal development is evident. We look forward to building upon Baylor's well-established status as the Big 12 leader in student-athlete academic achievement."

Byrd returns to Baylor after nearly four years at the University of Arkansas, where he served as an academic coordinator in the Razorback's athletic department. At Arkansas he handled academic advising for football and oversaw the advisement of all other men's sports programs. Byrd also oversaw all NCAA and Southeastern Conference requirements regarding eligibility.

During his first stint at Baylor, from 1998 to 2002, Byrd was supervisor of the Neill Morris Learning Center. His duties included supervision of the athletic study hall and coordinating the tutoring programs. Byrd also handled academic counseling for men's basketball and managed the student-athlete bookstore.

Byrd coached high school baseball and football at both Waco High School and Trinity (Texas) High School. He is a 1992 graduate of Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., and he earned a master's degree from Henderson State University in 1994.