CLEVELAND, Miss. — Delta State University Director of Athletics
Mike Kinnison announced the hiring of
Connor Recio as the department's new Coordinator of Athletics Operations.
Recio joins the Statesmen after serving as a Graduate Assistant in Athletics Administration at Auburn University at Montgomery, where he gained extensive experience in game day management, compliance, and event operations. During his time at AUM, Recio served as the game day lead for home athletic events and oversaw operations as the game day administrator for home tennis matches. He also assisted with facility setup and breakdown, ticket operations, concessions, and video production, while maintaining compliance documentation for NCAA, conference, and institutional requirements.
"I'm pleased to add Connor to our Athletic Staff." Kinnison Said. "His area of responsibility is vital to our game day experience for fans and student athletes. We understand the importance of positive community service and providing prompt response to our customer needs. He was a pleasure to work with through the interview process and demonstrated a skill set that qualifies him to handle the responsibilities of the position. I'm anxious for our Statesmen community to meet and welcome him to our department."
Prior to his role at AUM, Recio served as an Assistant Tournament Director for the Collegiate Conference of the South, where he helped manage championship events, including scoreboard and livestream operations. He also completed a Gameday Operations Internship at Huntingdon College, assisting with event setup, game management logistics, and production planning.
A former student-athlete, Recio was a member of the Huntingdon College football program from 2020-23, helping lead the Hawks to back-to-back USA South Conference Championships in 2021 and 2022. His experience as a student-athlete provides him with a strong understanding of the needs and expectations of collegiate athletes.
Recio earned his Master of Science in Sport Management from Auburn University at Montgomery in May 2026 after completing his Bachelor of Arts in Sport Management from Huntingdon College in May 2024.
"I'm incredibly excited to join Delta State Athletics and become a part of such a great community." Recio said. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to contribute, grow alongside this department, and help create great experiences for our student-athletes, coaches, and fans. I can't wait to get started and see what we can do for this great program!"
Recio, a native of Orlando, Fla., resides in Cleveland.
