Wren Baker's Journey to West Virginia

[Coach Andy Mac]

Humble beginnings breed fierce competitors. 

Former University of North Texas AD Wren Baker is in Morgantown and prepared to get to work.

Baker brings wife Heather and daughters Addisyn and Reagan to the Mountain State en route to becoming West Virginia University's 13th Director of Athletics. His stay in North Texas began in 2016, but prior to entering college athletics administration, Baker was working as a high school principal in rural Oklahoma. At 26 years old, Baker was tasked with organizing teachers, students, conduct, and budgeting, all aspects of his admin history that cross over nicely into Power-5 higher ed.

When he got out of secondary education administration, Baker's first stop was at Rogers State University, where he became the first men's basketball coach in the school’s history. After that, he was the director of athletics for Northwest Missouri State, and served as deputy director of athletics at the University of Memphis and the University of Missouri. Baker then became the University of North Texas Vice President and Director of Athletics in 2016.

He saw seven different UNT teams combine to win 17 conference or division championships, his new coaching hires have combined to win nearly 70 percent of their games, and his fundraising produced the five largest gifts in UNT history and a doubling of the school's single-year fundraising record. Baker's impact also manifested in overall attendance boosts for North Texas' football (71 percent) and women's basketball (60+ percent) programs.

Baker was selected away from the Mean Green ahead of 7-8 other applicants, WVU president E. Gordon Gee said. Talent appraisal company Turnkey ZRG assisted in the application process, and Gee gave the company a nod of approval.

"When we interviewed Wren, I can tell you he fits every one of our criteria and in addition to being an exceptionally talented athletic director, he's also a very positive person who easily connects and engages with everyone that he meets," Gee said. He understands our mission; he knows where we want to go, and I have no doubt that he will get us there.

read more:  https://www.si.com/college/westvirginia/football/wren-bakers-journey-to-west-virginia