JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 24, 2026) – The East Tennessee State University Athletic Department announces that David Blackburn, who most recently served as ETSU's General Manager of Revenue Sports, has accepted the role of Vice President for Athletics at Milligan University, where he will also serve as a member of the President's Cabinet.
"DB was a tremendous asset to our department, and we are going to miss him," said ETSU Athletic Director Dr. Richard Sander. "He did a great job helping us build a modern collegiate model with NIL and revenue sharing, positioning our programs to be competitive in this evolving landscape. His experience, relationships and leadership were instrumental in assisting with our football head coach and his staff, and he provided valuable support across our revenue sports. David approached this role with professionalism and a forward-thinking mindset, and we are grateful for the impact he made during his time at ETSU."
Blackburn brought more than 30 years of experience in collegiate athletics administration to ETSU, helping guide a transformative period for Buccaneer football, men's basketball and women's basketball. In his role, he oversaw Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) agreements and revenue-sharing operations while serving as the primary liaison to agents, student-athletes and their families during compensation and partnership negotiations. He also worked closely with head coaches Will Healy, Brooks Savage and Brenda Mock Brown to support roster management, scheduling and long-term strategic planning.
Under Blackburn's guidance, ETSU became one of the first universities nationally, and the first in the Southern Conference, to implement a General Manager model across multiple sports. He was instrumental in establishing one of the league's first GM roles in basketball and helped position ETSU as the first FCS program in Tennessee to create a standalone General Manager role in football.
Prior to his time in Johnson City, Blackburn served as Director of Athletics at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he led the Mocs to a historic achievement as the first Southern Conference institution to win league championships in football, men's basketball and women's basketball in the same academic year. He also held senior administrative positions at the University of Tennessee and Middle Tennessee State University, building a nationally respected network and reputation throughout his career.
ETSU Athletics thanks Blackburn for his contributions to the Buccaneers and wishes him and his family the very best in his new role.
For more information on ETSU Athletics, visit ETSUBucs.com.
